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Olympics: 80 per cent of Japanese want Tokyo Games cancelled or delayed

Poll comes as Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declares state of emergency in Tokyo region

Chris Gallagher
Sunday 10 January 2021 14:55 GMT
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<p>Over a third of those questioned said they wanted the games cancelled&nbsp;</p>

Over a third of those questioned said they wanted the games cancelled 

About 80 per cent 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 per cent want the games to be cancelled and 45 per cent favoured another delay. 

The world's biggest multi-sports event, postponed last year due to the pandemic, is scheduled to be held from 23 July – 8 August in the Japanese capital.

Yoshihide Suga, the Japanese prime minister, declared a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo region on Thursday.

He could extend the measure to other areas as Japan struggles to contain a surge in infections.

Mr 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 nine points from a month earlier to 41 per cent with the disapproval rate at 43 per cent, the Kyodo survey showed.

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

Reuters

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