A week before Tokyo Olympic Games: July 17-18, 2020

 

The Tokyo Olympic Games will begin on July 23^rd. It is a week from today (June 17).

The Japanese government, Tokyo Metropolitan government and IOC (international Olympic Committee) decided on July 8 to have the games without audience in Tokyo (Precisely speaking, limited number of games held in local prefectures plan to accept limited number of audience). It was, needless to say, due to COVID-19 pandemic.

I visited the Equestrian Park in Setagaya City, western Tokyo. It is a site for equestrian competitions.

The park was surrounded by tall walls. (See also the top photo)

The gates were guarded by the securities.

The facilities, including a temporarily built stadium, are ready, but they will not accept any audience. The temporary seats will be removed soon.

 We could see the new stadium and other facilities only through the gate doors. (See also the 4th photo)

 

Policemen were busy in preventing visitors from taking photos from nearby.

Many special signs to commemorate the Olympic Games have been placed on the road. Horseshoes are used in the signs. See also the 3rd photo)

 

Japan issues the state of emergency on June 12 for Tokyo. The number of COVID-19 cases is on rise.

Many Japanese people give icy looks on the event. An opinion pall by Yomiuri Newspaper, the country’s largest newspaper, held in this month showed that about 40% of Japanese people answered that the games should be “cancelled”; about 40% supported that the games should be done with “no audience.”

People were spending their holidays in a small playing space in front of the he Equestrian Park (the Olympic site).

The athletes as well as their staff members, media persons and IOC related persons started to arrive in Japan.

 Some positive cases have been reported. The Olympic Organizing Committee stresses that they will contain the infection. Many people seem not to believe it.;