Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is adamant the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo will push through as scheduled on July 23 despite only three in 10 Japanese in favor of the delayed games being held this year. He also said the 2021 Summer Paralympics would take place on August 24

"The Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held this summer," said Suga of the Summer Olympics, which he called a symbol of world unity. "We will make steady preparations to realize a safe and secure tournament."

The Summer Games will involve more than 11,000 athletes from around the world. The Olympics' budget has skyrocketed by $2.4 billion to more than $15 billion as a result of the year-long delay.

In March 2020, Japan and the International Olympic Committee decided to postpone the Summer Games to 2021 as the global pandemic began spreading out of control.

IOC president Thomas Bach again restated the IOC's commitment to the games, noting Tokyo is the "best prepared" Olympic city ever.

"These Olympic Games will be the light at the end of the tunnel," according to Bach. "They will be a celebration of solidarity, of the unity of humankind in all our diversity, and resilience."

Suga now has a tougher job selling both events to the Japanese people. Recent public opinion shows the Japanese quickly souring on the Olympics. In December, a survey published by public broadcaster NHK found only 27% of the Japanese respondents wanted the Olympics to proceed. This figure was 40% in October.

The proportion of Japanese that want to cancel the Olympics has jumped to 32% compared with 23% in October. The remainder wants another postponement, but the IOC has said this is impossible.

Since making this declaration, however, Suga has had to contend with Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, along with governors of three neighboring prefectures, demanding the government declare a new state of emergency to stanch a fast-spreading COVID-19 third wave triggering record numbers of new daily cases. Total COVID-19 cases surged to record levels in Tokyo and nationwide on December 31.

"In the name of valuing life, we made this plea together," said Koike on Saturday.

Accompanying Koike in urging the national government to declare a state of emergency were Saitama Gov. Motohiro Ono, Chiba Gov. Kensaku Morita, and Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa.

Suga is repeatedly criticized over what some see as his mishandling of the pandemic and his obstinacy in keeping the economy open. Japan has had more than 3,500 COVID-19 deaths and 238,000 total cases since the pandemic began.