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Japan’s new PM Suga pledges to host Olympics next year

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga promised that Japan will do everything in its power to make the Tokyo Olympic possible next summer.

/ 27 September 2020

The Olympics were originally scheduled to start last July 2020 but were postponed because of the pandemic.

However, the PM Suga  disclosed in a pre-recorded speech at the U.N. General Assembly that he will, “spare no effort in order to welcome you to Games that are safe and secure.”

Also, the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee said that Tokyo was very determined to host the said event that it will push through “with or without COVID.”

According to the reports of Associated Press (AP), there will be an estimated 15,400 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, staff, and officials who will be safe even without a vaccine or treatment for the virus.

Nonetheless, a survey showed that majority of Japanese companies and the public don’t think the Olympics will or should happen next year.

Also, a poll made by the Japanese broadcaster NHK said two-thirds of sponsors were undecided about extending for another year.

Despite the survey and poll, Japan was still very eager to conclude the Olympic Games at their hands as keeping domestic sponsors intact with them is financially critical.

AP also reported that the recruited domestic sponsors by the advertising agency Dentsu Inc. have paid $3.3 billion in which for the record was at least twice of any previous Olympics.

As per the statement of Tokyo 2020 chief executive Toshiro Muto last July the Games might be held with limited audience, but still wanted to avoid the possibility of having no audience at all.

It was said that more than 11,000 athletes from around 200 countries were scheduled to take part in the Tokyo 2020 Games. 

Last April, Chief Moto shared that if Tokyo Games will not be possible until 2021, then it would be best to cancel the games altogether.