Tokyo, Feb. 12 (Jiji Press)–A Jiji Press survey showed Friday that over 60 pct of respondents oppose the current plan to hold the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer.

According to the survey, 35.3 pct said the Tokyo Games, postponed by one year from last summer because of the coronavirus pandemic, should be put off again until at least 2022, and 25.8 pct said the games should be canceled.

In a similar survey conducted in December last year, slightly more than 50 pct of respondents were against the plan to hold the events in summer 2021, with 29.9 pct supporting another postponement and 21.1 pct preferring cancellation.

The results of the latest survey, conducted over the four days through Sunday, apparently reflected the introduction of Japan’s second coronavirus state of emergency last month amid a surge in infections, and sexist remarks by Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Games organizing committee, on Feb. 3.

In February, 34.4 pct supported the current plan. Those calling for a limit on the number of spectators came to 19.7 pct, while 11.9 pct supported the games with no spectators and 2.8 pct preferred no limit on the number of spectators.

In the December poll, 43.2 pct supported holding the Tokyo Games this summer, including 23.2 pct who said there should be spectators and 20.0 pct who said no spectators should be allowed.

The latest interview survey was conducted on 2,000 people aged 18 or older nationwide. Valid responses came from 61.9 pct.