From Tokyo – The IOC and the organizers of the Tokyo Olympics will launch a three-day virtual conference on Wednesday to face the toughest medical opponents so far at the Olympics, which will take place over eight weeks.

The conference will be chaired by IOC vice president John Coates, who will once again reassure the Japanese that the Games are “safe and secure”. Many Japanese, including Tokyo and Osaka, is in a state of emergency, forcing IOC President Thomas Bach to cancel his trip to Japan this month. Only about 1 to 2% of the population is fully vaccinated, and many surveys show that opposition to the Olympics is 60 to 80%. In one of the most powerful statements to date, the powerful 6,000 Tokyo Practitioners Association called for the cancellation of the Olympics last week in a letter to Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Yuriko Koike, and Seiko Hashimoto. Head of the Organizing Committee.

The letter was posted on the group’s website this week.

“We believe that the right choice is to cancel an event that could increase the number of people infected and killed,” said the letter.

“The virus spreads through human movements. Japan has a great responsibility, as the Olympics and Paralympics work to exacerbate the pandemic and increase the number of people who suffer and die.”

The Olympic Games are scheduled to start on the 23rd of July. The Paralympics continue on August 24th. This is financially necessary for the International Olympic Committee, which receives about 75% of its revenue from the sale of television rights and an additional 18% from sponsors.

Japan has officially spent $ 15.4 billion or organized the Olympics, but government audits suggest the numbers are much higher. Opponents continue to make small street protests and petitions online, but there is no sign that the game will be canceled. Last month, the British Medical Journal opposed holding the Olympics.

In Japan, more than 11,500 people died of COVID-19. The Tokyo Medical Workers’ Association warned of the potential collapse of Japan’s medical system, which could put more pressure on Tokyo’s hot, humid summer months at the start of the Olympics. “Our country is currently facing a fourth wave of coronavirus outbreaks in patients, which is the worst of all,” the letter said. “The healthcare systems that support COVID-19 have almost reached their limits. In reality, the entire healthcare system faces almost insurmountable difficulties in doing its best to fight the coronavirus.” ”

Organizers in Tokyo have announced that they will need around 10,000 medical professionals during the Olympics. They also sought out an additional 500 nurses and 200 sports medicine professionals. Some prefectures near Tokyo have declared that they do not prioritize the treatment of Olympic athletes. “The doctors and nurses in the health system who were asked to respond are exhausted at the moment and there are no additional staff or treatment options,” added the letter.

Foreign fans have already been banned and Olympics organizers will announce next month whether local fans will be able to attend in limited numbers. At the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 15,000 athletes and tens of thousands of athletes will visit Japan. Japan’s borders have been virtually closed for over a year.