The Olympics in the 2021 Election

Abstract

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic made their staging an unprecedented challenge, the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics had already been politically controversial, with initial public skepticism giving way to more widespread enthusiasm, though dotted with opposition given the wastefulness and corruption associated with recent Games. The long delay in the Games, the public health risks associated with even spectator-less events, a series of astonishingly embarrassing gaffes and revelations, and the collapse of projected economic benefits all contributed to the possibility that they would be costly to the ruling LDP in the 2021 election. This chapter traces the Games and their role in the 2021 election, particularly the challenges associated with turning a major, controversial news story into a winning issue for either the ruling parties or the opposition.