CNN: Japan Declares State of Emergency 2 Weeks Before Olympics

EXCERPT:

WANG: "The protesters that were here are angry that the games are going to go ahead in the middle of a state of emergency as Covid cases are once again surging in Tokyo, reaching the highest level in months, and as experts continue to warn against hosting these games, even the Prime Minister just moments ago saying that more cases are being driven by the Delta variant in Japan. But it’s not just the protesters, John. I’ve been speaking to residents walking by this area and they say they are scared of the surge in infections, they still have yet to get vaccinated, and that they aren’t in support of the games. Just 15% of the population here has been fully vaccinated. Now, as a result of the state of emergency, which is not a hard lockdown, organizers are debating now if spectators should be allowed at all or if the cap should be reduced from the previously announced cap of up to 10,000 people per venue. Now, overseas fans have already been banned. If local ones are banned, too, John, this would be unprecedented. It would be a huge blow to Japan, which has spent more than $15 billion on these games. Now, the protesters here today, though, they’re also protesting the arrival of Thomas Bach, the head of the IOC. Many people here in Japan view him as a symbol of corporate greed and the IOC plowing ahead with these games at the expense of Japanese people’s health and their lives.”