Top Olympic sponsor Toyota pulls Games-related TV ads

FILE - In this March 13, 2015 file photo, Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda, left, and IOC President Thomas Bach pose with a signed document during a press conference in Tokyo as Toyota signed on as a worldwide Olympic sponsor in a landmark deal, becoming the first car company to join the IOC's top-tier marketing program. Toyota won't be airing any Olympic-themed advertisements on Japanese TV during the Tokyo Games despite being one of the IOC's top corporate sponsors. The unusual decision by the country's top automaker underlines how polarizing the Games have become in Japan as COVID-19 infections rise ahead of the July 23, 2021, opening ceremony.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) FILE - In this March 13, 2015 file photo, Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda, left, and IOC President Thomas Bach pose with a signed document during a press conference in Tokyo as Toyota signed on as a worldwide Olympic sponsor in a landmark deal, becoming the first car company to join the IOC's top-tier marketing program. Toyota won't be airing any Olympic-themed advertisements on Japanese TV during the Tokyo Games despite being one of the IOC's top corporate sponsors. The unusual decision by the country's top automaker underlines how polarizing the Games have become in Japan as COVID-19 infections rise ahead of the July 23, 2021, opening ceremony.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

By YURI KAGEYAMA / AP Business Writer July 20, 2021 3 min read

TOKYO (AP) – Toyota won’t be airing any Olympic-themed advertisements on Japanese television during the Tokyo Games despite being one of the IOC’s top corporate sponsors.

The extraordinary decision by the country’s top automaker underlines how polarizing the Games have become in Japan as COVID-19 infections rise ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony.

“There are many issues with these Games that are proving difficult to be understood,” Toyota Chief Communications Officer Jun Nagata told reporters Monday.

Chief Executive Akio Toyoda, the company founder’s grandson, will be skipping the opening ceremony. That’s despite about 200 athletes taking part in the Olympics and Paralympics who are affiliated with Toyota, including swimmer Takeshi Kawamoto and softball player Miu Goto.

Nagata said the company will continue to support its athletes.