How Does the Olympics Clean Up? (Or, Is There an Olympics Without Cleaning Up?)

Under these circumstances, whether the unresolved issues of radiation, without appropriate treatment of nuclear power facilities, disaster victims lacking a place to reside, the forcible relocation of American army bases or the dispersal of the homeless, the Japanese media has relentlessly broadcast the Olympics.

“The Tokyo Olympics will take place in a state of nuclear emergency. Those countries and the people who participate will, on the one hand, themselves risk exposure, and, on the other, become accomplices to the crimes of this nation.”

THE OLYMPICS CLEAN-UP: FUKUSHIMA, OKINAWA, HOMELESSNESS 陳黃金菊05/05/2019 ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL MAY 2019 How Does the Olympics Clean Up? (Or, Is There an Olympics Without Cleaning Up?)

WHEN INTERVIEWED in Zhu Zhong (《諸眾》, literally Multitude), published by Kao Jun Honn in 2015, homeless artist Misako Ichimura raised opposition to the Olympics in the city that “Now we confront the challenge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Whether we are homeless residents, or just the disprivileged, we all confront a large threat….many disaster victims don’t have a place to settle…For the sake of the Olympics, not only the parks, but the roads will be snatched away. The government also teaches children about the history of the Olympics, organizes many sporting activities. Everyone’s behavior and thinking has been “Olympicized” (P. 83-84). [13]

What is this threat that Ichimura speaks of concretely? I went to Japan at the end of March and in the beginning of April. Yoyogi Park has already become a shop in front of the Tokyo Olympics, with the park being completely gentrified as a space. Those living in the park have no more space to reside. The government has set up traffic cones, plants, and indirect means to drive away homeless Outside of this, Miyashita Park has been demolished, as part of plans for a “New Miyashita Park” undertaking, forcing squatters to inhabit the scaffolding.

Japanese citizens do not know this because mainstream media has not reported on this. According to Kojin Karatani, the Japanese media is in the control of the nation and capitalism. “Regarding the danger of Fukushima, the discussion is all one-sided, with only the small outlet, the Tokyo Shimbun opposed to nuclear energy.”[14] With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics viewed as an aspiration for peace, liberty, and progress, Abe has pushed for welcoming international tourists, hoping for everyone to have fun. He said to the International Olympics committee that the situation in Fukushima is “Under control,” and that, “It has never done and will never do any damage to Tokyo.” [15]

The Olympics is a peaceful and happy international competition. The Japanese government and capitalists have conspired to bury alive the marginalized affection. The Olympics will bring business to Japan and because the Japanese government and capitalists have torn down the park, building gorgeous architecture which will be taken down in the future, and other buildings will be built in the exact same place. These are work opportunities and international tourists will come to Japan, an opportunity for business.

For the Abe government to bring such international attention to Japan, those who have dissenting opinions are viewed as unrealistic and are thought to block others’ livelihoods. This has even affected activities aimed at providing relief to disaster victims. Regarding the Tokyo Olympics, Koide Hiroaki’s essay emphasizes strongly, “The Tokyo Olympics will take place in a state of nuclear emergency. Those countries and the people who participate will, on the one hand, themselves risk exposure, and, on the other, become accomplices to the crimes of this nation.” [16]

To this, we are not strangers in Taiwan. https://newbloommag.net/2019/05/05/olympics-fukushima-okinawa-eng/

[13] One can look at Kao Jun Honn’s “Parks as Method: About Misako Ichimura” (公園作為方法：關於市村美佐子). Outside of this one can examine the reflections on the problems of Okinawa, South Korea, Taiwan, and China in Zhu Zhong.

[14] See “Kojin Karatani on Social Movements” (柄谷行人談社會運動).

[15] See transcript of speech by Abe.

[16] Ibid.

May 6, 2019 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics

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