Top Olympic sponsor Toyota cancels Tokyo 2020 commercials

Japan’s top automaker pulls TV advertisements from event overshadowed by rising COVID infections and low public support.

Tokyo 2020 sponsor Toyota will not run Olympics-related TV commercials amid lacklustre public support for the Olympics, with two-thirds of Japanese doubting organisers can keep the games safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a local media poll. Chief Executive Officer of Toyota Motor Corp, Akio Toyoda, and other executives will not attend the opening ceremony either, Toyota said on Monday. “It is true that Toyota will not be attending the opening ceremony, and the decision was made considering various factors including no spectators,” a spokesperson said.