Arab News Japan

TOKYO: More than 300 Japanese marched through the streets of Tokyo on Sunday to protest the government’s decision to go ahead with the Olympic Games.

This despite the ongoing pandemic and the unfavorable opinion of medical experts who have warned the Japanese government that the situation could worsen because of the Games.

The rally was held in the Shinjuku district, which houses the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Nurses and doctors were among those who took part in the demonstration under a rainy sky and were cheered and supported by passers-by.

Protesters held signs bearing effigies of members of the Japanese Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee, and chanted slogans calling for the resignation of Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide, and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

One of the protesters said that many medical workers are raising their voices at their workplaces and asking for financial and human resources as well as time off to avoid overwork.

A number of Japanese medical experts have warned of the dangers of hosting the Games and have criticized the International Olympic Committee for insufficient preparation. Japan has recorded more than 12,000 deaths due to COVID-19and has seen a significant spike in the last month due to variants of the virus.