An organization representing thousands of physicians in Tokyo has reportedly strongly recommended canceling the upcoming Summer Olympics over virus concerns.
In a letter released this week, the Tokyo Medical Practitioners Society recommends that Japanese authorities should lobby the International Olympic Committee to "cancel the Games" amid a surge in cases nationwide and in the host city, according to Reuters.
The country's strained health care system has almost "no spare capacity" and can hardly afford the likely additional pressure of an anticipated further increase in cases associated with the events, the group said. Japan would "bear the maximum responsibility" if the Olympics were to fuel a rise in deaths, they said.
Japan's total case numbers have been relatively low compared to other countries, despite the recent uptick. However, the government has came under criticism for its slow rollout of the vaccine, with only about 3.5% of the population having received the shot, per Reuters.
The Tokyo Summer Olympics were originally scheduled for 2020, and postponed due to the global pandemic. The bid to reschedule has been fraught amid uncertainty over the trajectory of the pandemic and other logistical issues, to say nothing of the optics. Polling has routinely found the Japanese public to be largely apathetic toward the Games, with upward of 80% in favor of further postponement or outright cancelation.
In addition to the virus and logistical matters, the former Tokyo Olympics host committee president Yoshiro Mori stepped down in disgrace in February, when he came under withering criticism for sexist remarks that touched off what Reuters called a "rare" public debate about gender roles.
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