Resident perceptions of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: An examination of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This article examines Japanese residents' perceptions of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. A nationwide survey measured attitudes towards the Games and perceptions of subjective well-being, comparing pre- and post-event evaluations to examine the impact of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that perceptions on many items about community benefits significantly increased, while many concerns about quality-of-life and COVID-19 significantly decreased. The study found that, overall, attitudes towards the Olympics became more favourable despite the impact of the pandemic. The epidemic control strategy which isolated athletes from host residents and prioritised public health is discussed as a legacy for sustainable mega sport events.