Japan Press Weekly

Tweet

2021 July 7 - 13 [POLITICS]

Summer Games to be held 'without spectators' in Hokkaido and Fukushima

The Fukushima prefectural assemblymembers' group of the Japanese Communist Party on July 9 made a representation to the Fukushima prefectural government, demanding that the local government request the national government to cancel the Olympic Games this summer and, at a minimum, that Olympic sessions in Fukushima be held "without spectators" including schoolchildren.

Kamiyama Etsuko, head of the JCP group, said, "The risk of spreading coronavirus infections in Fukushima shouldn't be underestimated. 'With spectators', the games will increase the number of people coming from different prefectures. Accordingly, variants of the virus will likely come in and new cases could jump in Fukushima." She added, "What we need is coronavirus countermeasures, including speeding up of vaccinations, expansion of PCR testing, and distribution of adequate compensation to people for losses of earnings due to COVID-19."

Softball and baseball sessions were planned to be held in a Fukushima stadium with up to 7,150 spectators. While more than 80% of schools in the prefecture already decided to not participate, 3,684 schoolchildren were still listed to watch the Games.

However, on the day after the JCP assemblymembers' visit, the Fukushima prefectural government informed the Olympics and Paralympics Organizing Committee of the decision that the softball and baseball games will be held without spectators. Football matches that were planned to take place in the Sapporo Dome in Hokkaido will also be held without spectators.