Cancel them! For Olympic opponents in Japan, a delay isn't enough

For many in Japan, postponement of Olympics is a heartbreaking necessity. But for a small and motley crew opposed to Games altoger, it doesn't go far eugh. "Damn it! We absolutely reject postponement. Olympics should be canceled and abolished," an umbrella group of anti-Games activists tweeted after historic delay to 2020 Olympics was anunced. Just minutes before Tuesday's dramatic decision, triggered by coronavirus pandemic, a handful of activists gared in central Tokyo holding one of ir regular protests against Games.

"We've been doing a monthly rally for various reasons. One of things that most anys me is commercialism of event," said 59-year-old Toshio Miyazaki, standing with protesters holding signs reing: "We are opposed to Tokyo Olympics." Miyazaki works for Tokyo city government, a key partner in organising 2020 Games, but he is vocal about his opposition to event. " coronavirus situation is pushing m to postpone Games, but I think Japanese people should think twice about wher it is really necessary to host Olympics," he told AFP.

prospect of hosting Olympics remains largely popular in Japan, with 4.5 million tickets alrey sold through an oversubscribed lottery system that was so popular it was expanded for an ditional round. In domestic surveys, only around 10 percent of respondents think Games should be cancelled, even with global coronavirus pandemic stalking globe. And those who oppose Games do so for a variety of reasons.

'Recovery Olympics'

Kumiko Sudo, who was among protesters out on Tuesday, said she was uncomfortable with nationalist undertones she feels are associated with Games. "Hosting Olympics was proposed to boost a sense of nationalism" by n-Tokyo goverr Shintaro Ishikawa, she told AFP. She was also angered by moves Tokyo me in run-up to Games, including clearing out makeshift camps occupied by homeless people.

Japan has billed 2020 Games as "Recovery Olympics", planning to showcase reconstruction in rastern parts of country that were devastated by 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster. But some in battered region oppose Games, saying money spent would have been better directed to people forced to evacuate after disaster. "Tokyo landed right to host Games by calling it a 'Reconstruction Olympics'... but that's a phony discourse," argued Hiroki Ogasawara, a professor of sociology at Kobe University and co-author of a book on opposition to Tokyo Games. "Holding Olympics will t by itself rebuild disaster-hit area, it's an attempt to pretend that se communities have been reconstructed with holding of Olympic Games," he told AFP.

disaster-hit Tohuku region was set to feature prominently in Olympic torch relay, which was scheduled to begin Thursday but has w been postponed along with Games. Under slogan "Hope Lights Our Way", torch was supposed to set out from a Fukushima sports complex that became a staging ground for response to nuclear disaster. nationwide relay route included stops in towns that have only recently seen partial liftings of evacuation orders. 

Im credits: AP