Mr. Thomas Bach, President of
the International Olympic Committee
Ms.Yuriko
Koike, Governor of Tokyo
Ms.Seiko
Hashimoto, President, Tokyo Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic
Games
Mr. Yoshihide
Suga, Prime Minister of Japan
Please cancel the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Tokyo
Metropolitan Government, the Organising Committee of the Olympics, and the Government
have announced a plan to gather about 10,000 medical personnel for infection
control at the Olympics when the COVID-19
measures are needed. It is unacceptable to pull out valuable medical staff
supporting the tight medical system under this emergency situation for the sake
of the Olympics.
This is not
to say that we do not recognize the significance of hosting the Olympics as a
sports fest that contributes to world peace. We understand that they bring joy,
vitality, and hope to people. Sports, like theater, music, literature, and art etc.,
are irreplaceable and necessary to live humanly and affluently. However, it is
impossible to hold the Olympic Games at this time.
This time,
the media criticism has been suppressed, in part due to newspaper’s sponsorship
for the first time in the history of the Olympics, but many people criticize
the holding of the Olympics at this time. According to a public opinion poll,
70-80% of the people are against holding the Olympics at this time.
The top
priority of the politicians now is to use the enormous cost of the Olympics and
Paralympics to fight against COVID-19.
Of course,
some people are looking forward to hosting the Olympics. It could also be held
forcibly. And it may end without serious outcome.
However, even
so, the forced holding of the Olympics that is considered problematic by many
people in Japan and abroad, while inflicting a heavy sacrifice, will continue
to be questioned as to for whom and for what purpose it was held.
The Tokyo
Metropolitan Government, the Organising Committee of the Olympics, and the
Government must immediately announce the cancellation of the Olympics and strengthen
our efforts with national determination to eradicate COVID-19 in Japan.
Please cancel
the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games.
May 7, 2021
Susumu
Kurebayashi
Representative,
Citizen’s group “I will change Tokyo”
