Japanese coordinators for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo are hoping that newly-elected U.S. President Joe Biden can help kick up momentum in support of the Games, pushing back on cancellation rumors, according to The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday (Jan. 27).
“Mr. Biden is dealing with a tough situation with the coronavirus,” Haruyuki Takahashi, executive board member of Japan’s Olympic organizing committee, told the WSJ. “But if he makes a positive statement about the Olympics going ahead, we’d gain strong momentum.”
As Japan’s ally and military support, the U.S. brings the most athletes and advertising dollars to the Games. American allegiance could be critical, the article indicated. Polls show that roughly 80 percent of the Japanese public are not in favor of hosting the Games this summer.
“I am determined to host the Games safely and securely in July, in close cooperation with organizations both domestic and abroad,” Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said in Parliament last week, per WSJ.
The Tokyo Games have been rescheduled to begin on July 23 after being canceled last summer due to the pandemic, but there has been uncertainty surrounding the event as COVID-19 cases continue escalating in most parts of the world. Last week, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach held talks with national Olympic committees worldwide to offer reassurance about the 2021 Summer Games and vaccinations for athletes.
Takahashi said it was important to ensure the participation of the U.S. and broadcaster NBC. “It’s up to the U.S. I hate to say it, but Thomas Bach and the IOC are not the ones who are able to make the decision about the Games. They don’t have that level of leadership,” he said.
The Summer Olympics 2020 — originally scheduled July 24-Aug. 9 — was expected to host 11,000 athletes from 206 countries, with a total estimated cost of roughly $12.6 billion. Tokyo said it was planning to spend about $7.4 billion on advertising, tourism and other initiatives tied to the Olympics.
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