Is there a link with the drop in the number of new Covid-19 infections in the country?

The Japanese are still divided over the prospect of hosting the Olympics in Tokyo, but now they are 50% in favor of the event, according to a poll released on Monday.

According to this poll by the Japanese daily

Yomiuri

, half of the people questioned said they were in favor of holding the Olympics this summer as planned (23 July-8 August), and 48% wanted on the contrary that they be canceled.

Last month, in a similar opinion poll from

Yomiuri

, only 39% of those polled were in favor of the Olympics this summer, and 59% against.

The survey published on Monday was carried out by telephone from June 4 to 6 with 1,070 people in the archipelago.

Prime Minister's popularity at half mast

While the health situation is improving, the vaccination campaign has recently accelerated, even though just over 3% of the national population is fully vaccinated so far.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's popularity continues to deteriorate, however: his approval rating fell to 37% in the latest

Yomiuri

poll

, down from 43% previously, the lowest since taking office in September 2020.

Japanese public opinion blames Mr. Suga and his government for having clumsily managed the coronavirus crisis, which has led to the establishment of repeated state of emergency systems in the country since the beginning of January.

The government is also criticized for the very slow start of the vaccination campaign in the country compared to other countries.

The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics have yet to make a decision this month on the number of spectators allowed, after having already given up in March to welcome audiences from abroad because of the pandemic.

Still according to the

Yomiuri

poll

, 26% of those questioned said they wanted the Olympics to take place behind closed doors, and 24% with a limited gauge.

Another survey goes in the same direction

According to another poll published Monday by the television group Japan News Network, 44% of respondents approved the holding of the Olympics this summer, 31% wanted their cancellation and 24% a further postponement.

The organizers have systematically ruled out a further postponement of the Games after that of last year.

And last week, Tokyo-2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said she was “100%” sure they were going to take place.

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  • Covid 19

  • Coronavirus

  • Tokyo Olympics 2021

  • Japan

  • Sport

  • Olympic Games

  • Survey