A Japanese newspaper, which happens to be one of the official sponsors of the Tokyo Olympics, is calling for the games to be canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In an editorial piece, the Asahi Shimbun newspaper urged Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to "calmly and objectively assess the situation and decide whether to cancel the event" amid a surge of COVID cases.
The paper stated that the International Olympic Committee's thinking is "at odds with popular sentiment in Japan" and that they are "self-righteous."
Japan is firmly committed to the event and says they can hold it safely, Bloomberg reported that the country had distributed enough vaccines to inoculate just 3% of its population.
According to the Associated Press, Asahi and 70 local sponsors have given the organizing committee budget almost $3.5 billion.
The AP reported that polls show more than 80% of the nation’s people want the games postponed or canceled.
Earlier this week, the U.S. State Department issued a “do not travel” advisory for Japan due to its high level of coronavirus infections.
On Monday, Japan opened the two mass vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka.
The games are scheduled to open on July 23.
