Almost 70% of Japanese companies want the Tokyo Olympics either postponed or canceled, as COVID-19 infections in the country continue to rise and vaccine distribution remains slow less than three months before the games, a Reuters survey found.
Japan has so far vaccinated just 4% of its population, the lowest rate among the Group of Seven countries. The Corporate Survey, conducted from May 6 to 17, showed 37% of companies favored canceling the games, while 32% wanted it postponed.
The survey results reflect a growing skepticism over holding the Olympics, which had already been postponed by one year because of the pandemic, as Japan faces a fourth wave of infections that involves more contagious variants.
The surge in COVID-19 infections has put heavy pressure on Japan's health care system, with doctors and health authorities repeatedly warning about shortages and burnout.
In particular, those calling for a postponement have grown from February when the same questions were asked in the monthly survey. Then, nearly 30% were keen on canceling the games, while 35% favored a delay.
"There's no way that the Olympics can go ahead under the current circumstances," a manager at a metals company wrote in the survey.
The Tokyo Olympics is scheduled to open July 23, while the Paralympics is set to start Aug. 24. Tokyo is one of the nine prefectures currently placed under a pandemic state of emergency which will last until the end of this month, according to the Jakarta Post.
Meanwhile, nearly 80,000 Olympic officials, members of the media, and support personnel will descend on Tokyo in July, media reports in Japan say, as organizers push ahead with plans to hold the Games despite overwhelming public opposition in the host country, The Guardian reported.
