Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Japanese investigative newsroom, Tansa, says it has obtained the minutes from an April 28 meeting between the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee and its sponsor corporations, in which the possibility of holding the Olympic Games without spectators is discussed, as well as the possibility of a mid-Games cancellation.

 Although the organizers had, up until that point, told the partners that they aim for 50% spectator capacity, at the April 28 meeting they suddenly mentioned holding the games without spectators, it said.

“The partner corporations weren’t pleased. Some expressed frustration about being presented with these worst-case scenarios for the first time just a few months before the Olympics are held,” according to Tansa report.

One went further, saying that with public opinion overwhelmingly in favor of cancellation or postponement, the Organizing Committee’s indecision was making it impossible for them to promote their involvement with the Games. It would be better, they said, to bite the bullet and cancel, said Tansa.

The Tokyo Olympics has a total of 81 partner corporations. Ranked depending on their contribution, from the top level down there are: 14 worldwide partners, 15 gold partners, 32 official partners, and 20 official supporters. Corporations in the highest rank pay up to $910 million.

The partners planned their advertising campaigns on the basis that the Games would have spectators. They were also worried about their ticket allocations and VIP passes.

The lead-up to the Olympics is the key period for partner corporations to implement advertising campaigns and other promotional activities. As COVID cases in Japan continue to fuel public sentiment against the Games, the corporations are worried about not being able to carry out their business plans.

Tansa interviewed one of the partner corporation representatives who had participated in the April 28 meeting. The representative said: “We partners are losing our biggest chance at promotion and suffering loss after loss … It’s the worst possible situation.”