TOKYO (Reuters) - The European Union and Japan on Thursday backed Tokyo’s hosting of the Olympic Games this year, with EU-produced vaccines helping Japan in its battle against a fourth wave of infections.
“We support the holding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in defeating COVID-19,” the EU and Japan said in a joint statement after a summit.
Japan’s vaccination drive has been glacially slow, with just over 5 percent of the population having had a shot, and several polls have shown the majority of the Japanese public are opposed to holding the Games.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union had authorized the export to Japan of more than 100 million vaccine doses, enough to inoculate about 40 percent of the population.
“We have of course said we are looking forward to the Olympics Games,” she told a news conference, adding that the vaccine shipments were a strong sign of EU support for preparations of a safe event.