July 23, 2021

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on July 23 issued a statement on the Tokyo Olympic Games which officially began on the day, demanding their cancellation. The text of his statement is as follows:

We will continue to call for the immediate cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics from the standpoint that life is more important than the Games.

SHII Kazuo
Member of the House of Representatives of Japan
Chair, Japanese Communist Party
July 23, 2021
Tokyo

(1)
Since January this year, the Japanese Communist Party has been calling for the cancellation of the Tokyo Olympics and the concentration of all efforts on measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic from the standpoint that life is more important than the Games.

Even if the opening of the Olympics is enforced, our party will continue to maintain its position of placing the highest priority on protecting lives, and will continue to call for a prompt decision to cancel the Olympics even in the middle of their opening.

(2)
The number of new cases of COVID-19 in Tokyo, the host city of the Games, is increasing at a record pace, hospitals are already severely strained, and the healthcare system is on brink of collapse. The pandemic situation in Japan is extremely worrisome.

The reckless decision to hold the Olympics during a state of emergency has sent a wrong and misleading message to the public and has become a serious obstacle to curbing the spread of infection.

Even if the Games are closed to spectators, the huge event with hundreds of thousands of people, including athletes, Games officials, security, transportation, volunteers, and media, greatly increases the risk of the spread of infection.

The so-called “safety bubble” to control COVID-19 infections at the Olympic Games has become riddled with holes, and the Japanese government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the IOC's assertion of a "safe and secure event" has completely collapsed.

Worldwide, the pandemic is becoming more and more serious, including with the spread of the delta variant. Many have warned that holding the "world's largest sports festival" under such circumstances could pose a major risk of spreading the virus further.

(3)
How could you possibly hold the Olympic Games while posing a risk to the lives of so many people? This is the question which remains unanswered by Prime Minister Suga.

(4)
Based on the points above, it is all too clear that holding the Olympics at this time is a mistake. This mistake cannot be eliminated or obscured by forcing the opening of the Games.

Decide to cancel the Games from the standpoint that life is more important than the Olympics!

Let’s work together to push this one point by going beyond differences in political beliefs and thoughts!

To this end, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) is determined to stick to its position of placing the highest priority on protecting lives and joining hands with concerned people at home and abroad.