Should Japan reconsider hosting the Tokyo Olympics?

In less than 100 days Japan will be hosting one of the biggest sporting events in the world. The Tokyo Olympics have already been delayed a year but the host nation has currently expanded its quasi-emergency measures to contain the fourth wave of COVID-19. 

Currently, Japan has displayed a poor performance in controlling the virus transmission with limited testing capacity and slow vaccine rollout. The real question begs to be asked, does the risk outweigh the reward? Japan’s determination to host the Olympics is further strengthened by Beijing hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics which is expected to proceed as planned. It’s a matter of pride for the government to host a successful Olympics in the face of their rivals. 

Tokyo is one of the most crowded cities in the world, adding on to that would be accommodating all the athletes, officials, sponsors, media in a safe bubble with adequate social distance which itself would be a monumental task. Financially, the Tokyo Olympics is said to be the most expensive summer Olympics on record, costing an estimated twice of $12.6 billion originally planned. Postponing the event from 2020 has already come at a high cost and Japan is adamant of not letting that happen again. 

For a country keen to reprise the glory from the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, Japan faces an uphill task to have a successful sporting event in the current circumstances. There is a lot at stake, the question is does pride, publicity and money outweigh the perils of a global pandemic? 
 

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