"I will stand at the frontline" Japanese PM vows COVID fight as Olympic doubts rise

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga vowed Monday to get its COVID-19 pandemic under control and hold a safe and successful Summer Olympics.

In a speech opening a new Parliament session, Suga said his government would revise laws to make anti-virus measures enforceable with penalties and compensation.

In recent weeks, Japan has seen several highs in new cases per day, in part blamed on eased attitudes toward the anti-virus measures.

Doubts are growing as more contagious variants spread while people wait for vaccines as the Olympics draw closer, with recent media polls showing about 80% of the Japanese public think the Tokyo games will not or should not happen.