Cyprus Mail
AsiaWorld

Olympics-80% want Tokyo Games cancelled or delayed – Japanese survey

File Photo: File Photo: The Giant Olympic Rings, Which Are Being Temporarily Removed For Maintenance, Are Seen Behind Japan's National Flag, At The Waterfront Area At Odaiba Marine Park In Tokyo

About 80% of people in Japan say this year’s Tokyo Olympics should be cancelled or delayed as worries mount about a record surge in coronavirus cases across the country, a Kyodo News poll showed on Sunday.

The survey found 35.3% want the Games to be cancelled and 44.8% favoured another delay. The world’s biggest multi-sports event, postponed last year due to the pandemic, is scheduled to be held from July 23-Aug. 8 in the Japanese capital.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo region on Thursday and could extend the measure to other areas as Japan struggles to contain a surge in infections.

Suga has come under fire for his handling of the pandemic and his support rate has tumbled since he took office in September.

His cabinet’s approval rate slid 9 points from a month earlier to 41.3% with the disapproval rate at 42.8%, the Kyodo survey showed.

About 79% said Suga’s decision to call the state of emergency for Tokyo came too late and 68% were dissatisfied with the government’s response to the pandemic, the survey found.

Follow the Cyprus Mail on Google News

Related Posts

Europe to use frozen Russian profits to arm Ukraine, Scholz says

Reuters News Service

Russia votes in election that will give Putin six more years in power

Reuters News Service

Putin says Ukraine will be punished for election day attacks on civilians

Reuters News Service

Israel says troops did not open fire on Gazans waiting for aid

Reuters News Service

UK children exposed to violent content online, see it as ‘inevitable’

Reuters News Service

Hezbollah tells Iran it would fight alone in any war with Israel

Reuters News Service