In the opinion poll of Tokyo voters conducted on May 22–23 by the Tokyo Shimbun and others, 60% of respondents said that the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games “should be canceled,” more than twice the number of respondents who said the Games should either be “held with a limited number of spectators” or “held without spectators.” The Games are set to open soon in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid rising distrust in the government’s COVID-19 countermeasures and related explanations, there are only two months left before the Games begin. The poll revealed that there is strong-rooted opposition to the Games even in Tokyo, the host city.

Asked whether the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games should go forward, 60.2% said they “should be canceled,” making it the most frequently given response, while 17.3% said the Games “should be held with a limited number of spectators” and 11.0% said the Games “should be held without spectators.”

By gender, a higher percentage of men than women said that the Games should be held, outdistancing women in both the “hold with a limited number of spectators” and the “hold without spectators” response categories. By age group, many in their 60s to 80s called for the Games to be canceled. More people in the younger age groups than in the elderly age groups called for the Games to be held.

Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has said that “it is possible to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games securely and safely, protecting the lives and health of the people.” Some 67.2% of respondents said that they are “not convinced” by the statement. Across all age groups, less than 30% of respondents said that they found the explanation persuasive.

A total of almost 80% of respondents said that they either “don’t approve at all” (42.9%) or “don’t approve very much” (34.3%) of the government’s COVID-19 countermeasures. A total of only about 20% said that they either “very much approve” (3.8%) or “somewhat approve” (17.0%) of the government’s COVID efforts.

Some 16.1% of respondents said they “support” the Suga Cabinet, while 64.4% said that they do not. A total of 52.8% of respondents said that they either “very much approve” or “somewhat approve” of Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko, exceeding the total of 43.2% said who they either “don’t approve very much” or “don’t approve at all” of the governor.