A third of Japanese residents want the Tokyo Olympics to be scrapped amid fears that an influx of foreign arrivals may cause a further spike in COVID-19 cases, a poll by public broadcaster NHK showed on Tuesday.
The Japanese government and International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided in March to postpone the 2020 Olympics by a year due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, with the global showpiece now slated to take place from July 23-Aug. 8.
Only 27% said they should go ahead as scheduled while 31% favoured another delay.
While Japan has avoided the vast number of infections and deaths seen in many other countries across the world, a recent resurgence in cases has forced the government to re-introduce steps such as requesting bars and restaurants to close early.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Monday suspended a much-criticised travel subsidy programme to help contain mounting case numbers as his approval rating plummets over his handling of the pandemic.