Tokyo Olympics Photo: VCG

 Once again, the coronavirus pandemic has dampened Japan's hopes of hosting the Olympic Games in Tokyo, as the latest polls over the weekend showed that more than 80 percent of people in Japan who were surveyed thought that the Games should be canceled or postponed. 

Though the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ­reiterated Monday its ­confidence in the already ­one-year postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, scheduled to be held from July 23 to August 8, the results of the polls - c­onducted by Japan's Kyodo news agency and the Tokyo Broadcasting System - showed that the skepticism over the event is growing. 

Tokyo is racing against the recent surge of COVID-19 ­cases that prompted the national government last week to call a state of emergency, while Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga insisted he is confident a "safe and secure" Games will be held as scheduled.

Many have pinned their hopes that the virus will be overcome through mass ­vaccination campaigns, which have kicked off in an ­increasing number of countries, but experts believed that this type of herd immunity is unlikely to be achieved in time, as not every country can ­complete vaccine rollouts this year. 

It is estimated that a Summer Olympics and Paralympics would involve around 15,000 athletes entering the host country, let alone the coaches, officials, judges, broadcasters and fans.

Even if every attendee to the Tokyo Olympics has been vaccinated, it is still impossible to create a bubble around the Games, as no current vaccines are 100 percent effective.

Under such conditions, it is undeniable that the Games in Tokyo cannot repeat the heat of previous 21st-century virus-free Olympics in Sydney, Athens, Beijing and London. Even the Zika virus-impacted Rio Olympics in 2016 looked ­better than what the Tokyo Games would be.

However, canceling the Tokyo Games would be unfair and deal a big blow to ­organizers: Japan is officially spending $15.4 billion to hold the event, although several government audits show the number is actually about $25 billion. 

It will also upset the Olympians, whose opportunity to compete comes around only once every four years, and for some Tokyo might be their swansong. 

The most practical option would be to hold the Games behind closed doors. While this would not be as profitable as previous events, it is a safe way to ensure the efforts to prepare for the Games do not go to waste. 

A possible Tokyo blow will inevitably impact the prospect of the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Beijing. 

The difference is that China has the virus under control for the most part, though sporadic cases have developed fast lately, and Beijing has a year to see how vaccination efforts progress both in and out of the country.

With less than 200 days left before the Tokyo Games, more prompt action from the IOC for hosting a "safe" Olympics, including whether to host the Games without fans attending and covering how athletes should be vaccinated, will be a clearer sign for the sports world to proceed.