Head of Japan's Doctors Union slams plans to go ahead with Olympics as 'dangerous'

The chairman of the Japanese Doctors Union, Naota Ueyama, attended the conference at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on May 27, 2021, in Tokyo He stated his concerns about going ahead with t

The chairman of the Japanese Doctors Union, Naota Ueyama, attended the conference at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on May 27, 2021, in Tokyo He stated his concerns about going ahead with the Olympic games, raising awareness about the possible consequences.

Ueyama is heard saying: "We are an organization of doctors and sensing that we are indeed facing this urgent humanitarian crisis in regards to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics on May 13, we’ve submitted a request or a demand to the government of Japan to cancel the Olympic games.

"This is indeed now the time when all people around the world must put their efforts together in the struggle against COVID-19.

"However, unfortunately, there is a situation where some are turning their backs against this struggle as well and there is even the risk that the Tokyo Olympics could prove an obstacle to overcome COVID-19.

"In order to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic we need to make sure that such obstacles will not be allowed to go ahead and this is why we put forward the call for the Olympics to be cancelled.

"However, given this risk which is there in place, there are some people who are acting almost as dictators asking for people to make sacrifices in order for the Olympic games to be going ahead.

"What should or what is originally a struggle between the virus and humans is now turning into a struggle between humans, yet if that is the case, if it is indeed a struggle between people in such a way, now this is the time that the international community must use its strength.

"If the Olympic games are to be held in Tokyo, this will mean that people will be coming to Japan from 200 different countries around the world; tens of thousands of people indeed.

"This could mean potentially that all the different mutant strains of the virus that exist in different places will be concentrated and gathering here in Tokyo.

"This could mean a dangerous situation where for example the South African or Indian strains of the virus could then be spread to different places around the world as a result of gathering here at the Olympics.

"We cannot deny the possibility of even a new strain of the virus potentially emerging after the Olympics as well."