Doctors in Tokyo appeal for cancellation of the Olympics as hospitals overwhelmed

With Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga extending a third state of emergency in Tokyo and several other prefectures until May 31 and only 3.5 percent of Japan’s population of 126 million being vaccinated, the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Association have appealed for the cancellation of the Olympics as hospitals are overwhelmed and have no spare capacity.  

With the games scheduled to commence in a little over 60 days an open letter has been given to the Prime Minister, dated May 14, in which the   Medical Practitioners Association said hospitals in the host city “have their hands full and have almost no spare capacity”, citing if the Olympics contributed to a rise in deaths “Japan will bear the maximum responsibility.” The letter goes on to say “We strongly request that the authorities convince the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that holding the Olympics is difficult and obtain its decision to cancel the Games,”.  

This appeal has been made amid a jump in infections that has resulted in a shortage of hospital beds in the City and local governments of towns hosting Olympic events outside Tokyo say they have no hospital beds to spare and refuse to set aside facilities for athletes when they are needed for local residents. Aside from the doctors’ fears of no spare capacity left to deal with a possible covid outbreak triggered by the massive international event they also fear the difficulty of dealing with heat exhaustion in patients during the summer months. 

In response the Prime Minister said that holding “safe and secure” Olympic games was possible if tight preventive measures were implemented, including actions that would keep ordinary Japanese from coming into contact with those arriving in connection with the Games. As the games are to be held without foreign spectators the Prime Minster insists that the games, will proceed as scheduled. 

A majority of the Japanese public, however, oppose hosting the Olympics this year. A poll last weekend by The Asahi Shimbun newspaper found 83% of respondents want the games cancelled or postponed again. 

The Japanese Government and the International Olympic Committee will take heart that WTCS Yokohama 2021, went ahead successfully last week, despite the concerns, with the event taking place under strict directives regarding organisation and behaviour in order to ensure the full safety of athletes, media and organisers all of whom had to undergo PCR testing and show proof of a negative test as part of the World Triathlons race COVID-19 protocol.