Dec 06 (Nikkei) - Following a year of seemingly apocalyptic events from deadly fires to global social unrest to the COVID-19 pandemic alongside rising geopolitical tension, canceling next year's Olympic and Paralympic Games would inflict further misery on the world.
Depending upon how the pandemic plays out, the event may not be able to safely accommodate crowds or welcome large numbers of visiting fans into Japan. There will, however, surely be significant latent demand for the inspirational moments that every Olympics and Paralympics delivers.
In Ancient Greece in the 9th century BC, the Olympic Truce was established by the kings of warring factions to enable athletes, artists, and their families to travel safely to and from competing in the Olympic Games. In its modern form and since the founding of the International Olympic Committee in 1894, the purpose of the Olympic Movement has been to "contribute to the search for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to the conflicts around the world."
With the hardship the world is facing today and escalating geopolitical tension, scarcely has there been a more important and meaningful time for nations to set aside differences and unite to compete in the world's most important sporting event. Many people around the world are suffering from stress, anxiety, and economic hardship due to the pandemic. Health agencies are reporting steep increases in mental health issues in 2020 and charities warning about a rise in associated issues such as substance abuse and domestic violence. In Japan, suicides rose to 2,153 for October 2020, a 160% increase on October 2019; this monthly sum is greater than the total number of recorded deaths from COVID in Japan during the entire pandemic which, at the end of November 2020, stood at 2,087.
Anxiety is compounded by a geopolitical environment of de-globalization and rising nationalism, with new walls -- both real and metaphorical -- being put up. Hostility between China and the United States shows no signs of abating with a Biden administration likely to double-down on pressuring China on its human rights record. Australia, India, and others are engaged in their own disputes with China. Then there is the rising tension between Europe and Turkey and Israel and Iran. And, all the while, the U.K. and EU move along an uncertain pathway toward decoupling.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games has a long history of proceeding in the face of adversity. Japan was supposed to host an Olympics in 1940 which, along with the 1944 games, was canceled due to World War II. When the 1948 Olympics was finally held in London, it became known as the Austerity Games and, as the world reeled from the economic and human impact of war, the event proceeded with no new stadiums or accommodation being built. The Olympics also proceeded in the wake of World War I with the 1920 event establishing the tradition of releasing doves as a symbol of peace.
