July 9, 2021
The Suga government on July 8 announced that it will issue a state of emergency in Tokyo for the fourth time following the ones in April last year, January this year, and April this year, and that it will extend the state of emergency in Okinawa and quasi-state of emergency measures in Osaka and Tokyo's neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Both of these measures will be valid until August 22, and the Tokyo Olympic Games (Jul.23 - Aug.8) will be held under states of emergency.
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held a press conference on the same day in the Diet building and said, "No matter if there is a state of emergency declared, as long as the government clings to the holding of the Sumer Games, it is sending the general public an inconsistent message and won't gain full public cooperation in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Thus, the state of emergency as it is will not be an effective measure."
Shii criticized the Suga government for its ambivalence, "The general public is asked to not eat out, not go out, and not drink out, and no athletic festivals, no summer festivals, no fireworks festivals will be held. However, the government will hold the world's largest festival of sporting competitions, the Olympic Games."
The general public is expected to stay at home and refrain from taking part in activities during the Olympic Games as infection control measures. Shii said, "The most effective control measure would be to cancel the Olympics."
Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo held a press conference on the same day in the Diet building and said, "No matter if there is a state of emergency declared, as long as the government clings to the holding of the Sumer Games, it is sending the general public an inconsistent message and won't gain full public cooperation in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Thus, the state of emergency as it is will not be an effective measure."
Shii criticized the Suga government for its ambivalence, "The general public is asked to not eat out, not go out, and not drink out, and no athletic festivals, no summer festivals, no fireworks festivals will be held. However, the government will hold the world's largest festival of sporting competitions, the Olympic Games."
The general public is expected to stay at home and refrain from taking part in activities during the Olympic Games as infection control measures. Shii said, "The most effective control measure would be to cancel the Olympics."
