June 15, 2021

Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo said, "It is unacceptable if PM Suga imposes 'support' on the Japanese people for the Summer Games."

Shii said this to the press corps on June 14 in the Diet building when asked for comments on the press conference following the G7 summit in Cornwall in the U.K. where Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide gained "support" from G7 leaders for the holding of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

Shii said, "Many people in Japan do not support the holding of the Games this summer," adding, "If an explosion of COVID-19 infections occurs after the Summer Games, the G7 countries will not be held responsible."

A G7 communique regards the holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 "as a symbol of global unity in overcoming COVID-19". Shii pointed out, "PM Suga has so far explained to the Japanese people that the holding of the Olympics is 'proof of having overcome COVID-19', but the expression changed to just 'overcome' because the pandemic is still going on."