May 14 (NHK) - A union of hospital doctors in Japan has urged the government to cancel this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the union visited the Health Ministry on Thursday to present a written request addressed to Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide.
They say the games will no doubt raise the risk of infections in Japan, as they would draw tens of thousands of athletes, coaches, officials and journalists from around the world even if no spectators are allowed.
They also say the games could be a superspreader event as global variants may circulate in Tokyo, leading to vaccine-resistant types.
The union says that as healthcare workers are being forced to work extra hours to fight the pandemic, it is totally inconsistent and irresponsible for the government to move ahead with the plan, and to ask frontline workers to volunteer for the games.
Union representative Ueyama Naoto told a news conference that he's sorry for the Olympic athletes but that someone must now speak out about cancellation.
He said he has seen doctors increasingly lose faith in the government's commitment to fighting the virus.
He added that the government has a paramount duty to protect the health of its people, and must now make an important decision to fulfill its duty.
Source: ANNnewsCH
