Polls have shown many of the Japanese public oppose holding the Games this year, worried about the flood of athletes and officials from overseas. Japan has effectively been closed to foreign visitors since the pandemic broke out last year. The Japanese government and Olympic organisers have said the Games would go ahead - barring “Armageddon”, as one International Olympic Committee (IOC) member put it. “I can understand the desire to go ahead for the sake of the athletes, but they should either postpone for another year or cancel the Games,” Edano told a news conference. Japan plans to finish vaccinating all those who want shots by October-November, Suga said in parliament this week.

Source: The Irish Times June 11, 2021 08:48 UTC