The chairman of the Japan Doctors Union warned on Thursday (May 27) that an “Olympic strain” of the coronavirus could emerge if the event takes place.

Speaking in Tokyo, Naoto Ueyama said: "If the Olympic games are to be held in Tokyo, this will mean that people will be coming to Japan from 200 different countries around the world; tens of thousands of people indeed.

"This could mean potentially that all the different mutant strains of the virus that exist in different places will be concentrated and gathering here in Tokyo.

"We cannot deny the possibility of even a new strain of the virus potentially emerging after the Olympics as well."

Ueyama was speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.

He said a request had been submitted to the Government on May 13 to cancel the Tokyo Games and accused some in authority of "acting like dictators" in asking Japanese citizens to make sacrifices in order for the event to go ahead.

A long-time critic of the Olympics, he said: "There is even the risk that the Tokyo Olympics could prove an obstacle to overcome COVID-19.

"In order to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic we need to make sure that such obstacles will not be allowed to go ahead and this is why we put forward the call for the Olympics to be cancelled.

"However, given this risk which is there in place, there are some people who are acting almost as dictators asking for people to make sacrifices in order for the Olympic games to be going ahead.

"It is dangerous to hold the Olympics games here in Tokyo this July. It is now the time when people all around the world work together in order to stop them from going ahead."

TRANSCRIPT:

Naoto Ueyama, chairman of the Japan Doctors Union (Japanese):

00:00 to 00:18: We are an organization of doctors and sensing that we are indeed facing this urgent humanitarian crisis in regards to the hosting of the Tokyo Olympics on May the 13th, we’ve submitted a request or a demand to the government of Japan to cancel the Olympic games.

00:18 to 00:38: This is indeed now the time when all people around the world must put their efforts together in the struggle against COVID-19. However, unfortunately, there is the situation where some are turning their backs against this struggle as well and there is even the risk that the Tokyo Olympics could prove an obstacle to overcome COVID-19.

00:38 to 00:50: In order to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic we need to make sure that such obstacles will not be allowed to go ahead and this is why we put forward the call for the Olympics to be canceled.

00:50 to 1:12: However, given this risk which is there in place there are some people who are acting almost as dictators asking for people to make sacrifices in order for the Olympic games to be going ahead. What should or what is originally a struggle between the virus and humans is now turning into a struggle between humans, yet if that is the case, if it is indeed a struggle between people in such a way, now this is the time that the international community must use its strength.

1:12 to 1:27: If the Olympic games are to be held in Tokyo, this will mean that people will be coming to Japan from 200 different countries around the world; ten of thousands of people indeed. This could mean potentially that all the different mutants’ strains of the virus that exist in different places will be concentrated and gathering here in Tokyo.

1:27 to 1:40: This could mean a dangerous situation where for example the South African or Indian strains of the virus could then be spread to different places around the world as a result of gathering here at the Olympics. We cannot deny the possibility of even a new strain of the virus potentially emerging after the Olympics as well.

1:40 to 1:44: It is dangerous to hold the Olympics games here in Tokyo this July.

1:44 to 1:49: It is now the time when people all around the world work together in order to stop them from going ahead.

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Naoto Ueyama Chairman of the Japan Doctors Union attends a news conference at The Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on May 27, 2021, Tokyo, Japan. The head of the Japan Doctor Union warned to hold Olympic Games with people from over 200 nations and territories (athletes and officials) this summer will be a risk to merge a new strain of coronavirus into the country.