Nearly 60 per cent of people in Japan think the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics should be CANCELLED

Almost 60 per cent of people in Japan believe the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games should be cancelled, according to a study on Sunday, as coronavirus infections surge across the country and anti-Olympics protests continue.

A total of 59.7 per cent stated that in a two-day Kyodo News telephone survey, which also found more than a quarter, 25.2 per cent, felt the Games should happen without fans, with 12.6 per cent wanting them to go ahead but with limited fan numbers.

The results demonstrate rising opposition to holding the sporting event, put on hold from its planned start in summer 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic, in the current context of a fourth wave of infections including more contagious variants.

A recent study has shown 59.7 per cent of people want the Olympic Games to be cancelled

There have been many protests calling for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics not to be held

Despite Olympic organisers already ruling out any overseas fans to avoid spreading Covid-19, 87.7 per cent of those studied expressed concern that the mass arrival of athletes and staff could spread the virus.

A survey in April showed 39.2 per cent wanted the event to be cancelled, with 32.8 per cent keen for it to be rescheduled and just 24.5 per cent happy for it to continue as planned.

Coronavirus cases are on the rise across the country in the last month, with a slow vaccine rate, a lack of hospital beds and the new variants exacerbating the situation – a trend about which 90.3 per cent of responses raised concerns.

The results come amid rising infections in Japan due to the spread of more contagious variants

The Tokyo Olympics – already postponed from the summer of 2020 – are set to begin on July 23

Over half of those studied – 53.9 per cent – said athletes should be prioritised for vaccinations, with 13.1 per cent saying otherwise and around a third, 32.7 per cent, unable to give a clear reply.

The Kyodo News study covered 715 randomly selected households of eligible voters and 1,254 mobile numbers, receiving 542 and 523 responses respectively. 

Olympic Games in the Japanese capital are set to begin on July 23, with the Paralympics currently planned to start on August 24.