You may be surprised to see this unlikely alliance between an ex-diplomat, Mr. Iimura and a notorious feminist scholar and activist, Chizuko Ueno, myself. Believe it or not, we had never met before we started this campaign. Diplomats are those who would never resist the order from their home country, and it is clear that Mr. Iimura can feel free to say whatever he wants to say only after his retirement. I was deeply impressed even such person like him wished to make a protest out of the sense of urgency, which made me to decide to join him.

As you know, we are in a state of emergency with the COVID-19 pandemic. What the Japanese government should do is to put the first priority on coping with the pandemic by mobilizing all the resources. On the other hand, the Olympic games are the festival of peace. The objective conditions that allowed holding this festival have greatly changed since the time when the ex-prime minister, Abe Shinzo, decided to postpone the games for one year ahead. We now face the unpredicted risk of the new Corona variants, and the vaccination of the Japanese people are much delayed than planned. Only 20% of the entire population gets vaccinated. I myself, belonging to the aged population, have not yet received the second vaccination.

A year ago, Mr. Abe was convinced that Japan could produce a homemade vaccine in one year, which turned out to be only his fantasy without any scientific evidence. Today, 100% of vaccine supply depends on other countries, meaning our government is incapable of guaranteeing national health security. Many, many scientists and medical doctors have made a warning to stop the Olympic games, but politicians would not listen to their voices. With these conditions, it is insane, absurd, ridiculous to hold the games. We are now suffering from our poor political leadership. Tokyo 2020 Olympic games are the world's most unwelcome games by people of the host country. According to the opinion polls, more than 50% of people oppose the games, and 70% of Tokyo metropolitan citizens.

There are several online campaign sites against the Tokyo Olympic games: our site has collected nearly 140 thousand signatures: another site started earlier by a lawyer, Utsunomiya Kenji, has reached 455 thousand; another one to show how to cancel the games has gathered 63 thousand. To put them together, more than 600 thousand people have joined us to protest against the games. This is not a small number. Mr. Abe called people against the Olympic games as "anti-Japanese," which could simply be translated as "anti-Abe." If they are anti-Japanese, he has to admit more than half of the nation is anti-Japanese.

Our government has asked people to endure inconvenience; many women have lost their jobs; restaurant owners and service workers are squeezed at the corner; doctors and nurses made a scream not to spread infection. While children are required not to make the school athletic games, why is such a large-scale sports event is an exception? While people are urged not to dine out with more than two persons, the Tokyo 2020 committee organized a welcome reception for the President of IOC, Mr. Thomas Bach, originally inviting 500 guests but ending up inviting 40 persons last evening. Recently 15 bureaucrats had a dinner party causing an infection cluster. When everyone is required to be patient, why not athletes? There is a growing antagonism against sports games and players, with the suspicion if they are so privileged. We see a rise in negative sentiment against the Olympic games, which reminds people of the previous scandals one after another in the process of preparation. It is now proven that the Olympic games are the decoy of commercialism and nationalism.

All the factors had reminded us of the painful memory of our past when the Japanese government stepped into the reckless war, which was determined to end up with defeat. I belong to the student power generation, who accused our parents of their responsibility for why they could not stop the war. Now aged, I am in the position to be accused by the younger generation; they ask why I do not try to stop these ridiculous games. As a post-war generation, we are no longer Japanese imperial subjects, and fortunately, to say NO to the authority does not bring us death nor torture, unlike in Hong Kong nor in Myanmar. Living in a democratic country, we exercise our right to say NO until the last moment, even during the games.

We receive criticism, saying it would be too late to cancel the Olympic games, but we think it is our duty to record our opposition in history, and our project has offered an opportunity to make a bunch of people visible who share our opinion.

Using the term war is not simply a metaphor. War accompanies victims. Once the games invite any death of athletes, supporters, service workers, medical professionals, policemen, and volunteers, who will take responsibility, and how? In addition, the Japanese nation will be indebted with the tremendous cost left by the games. Who will pay the debt?

Now the fifth wave of the pandemic is starting. Tokyo may become a serious epicenter causing the super spread of the new unknown variant. The worst scenario would be a disruption after it starts, due to the serious spread of infection. I am sure such a situation will destroy the trust and confidence of Japan and its nation, which will be fatal to the future of our society.

I sincerely hope you will share our concern out of a sense of urgency and make a report, to tell the truth to the international community.


Change.org petitions:
English:https://www.change.org/p/calling-for-the-cancellation-of-the-tokyo-olympics-as-it-s-not-safe-secure/u/29341656
Español:https://www.change.org/p/thomas-bach-pedimos-urgentemente-que-se-cancelen-los-juegos-ol%C3%ADmpicos-de-tokio-porque-no-son-seguros?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=8988a480-da29-11eb-8a40-c344ea1d28b4
Français:https://www.change.org/p/les-dangers-de-l-organisation-des-jeux-olympiques-de-tokyo-sont-de-plus-en-plus-%C3%A9vidents?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=8988a480-da29-11eb-8a40-c344ea1d28b4
Deutsch:https://www.change.org/p/thomas-bach-wir-fordern-die-absage-der-tokyo-olympics-da-sie-nicht-sicher-und-gesichert-sind?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=8988a480-da29-11eb-8a40-c344ea1d28b4