A hotel in Tokyo has apologised after it was blasted online for segregating its lifts with "Japanese only" and "foreigners only" signs ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu in downtown Tokyo put up the signs on Friday to split the use of its four lifts into two units for Japanese and another two for foreigners.
A hotel official told Reuters it was to ensure the movement of guests related to the Olympic Games were separated from others staying at the hotel, as per its interpretation of Covid-19 guidance from Tokyo 2020 organisers.
The official also confirmed the signs, posted in English and Japanese, were removed on Sunday after the hotel faced criticism on social media, and said there was no intention to discriminate against foreigners.
"We tried to make it easy to understand but ended up causing misunderstanding," the official said.
The hotel received a barrage of angry tweets on social media, with many calling the signs "racist".
"In a racist, xenophobic and clueless move, #Tokyo’s Akasaka Excel Tokyu hotel has established separate elevators for 'foreigners' and 'Japanese' #COVID19 measures should be based on public health, not race, nationality or ignorance," one user posted.
"Apartheid has been revived in Japan," tweeted another.
"The virus has nothing to do with nationality," added Twitter user Anna.
"I thought Japan had left this nonsense in the past," posted another.
Located in Chiyoda Ward, Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu is expected to host a number of Olympic athletes and officials, according to The Japan Times.
In a statement posted on its website on Monday, the hotel apologised and promised to prevent similar incidents in the future.
"We would like to express our sincere apologies for the inappropriate wording in the information posted in the building on July 9. The postings you pointed out were already removed on July 11," the statement reads. "We will strengthen our internal system for checking postings to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We sincerely apologise for this incident."
Olympic host city Tokyo entered a new state of emergency on Monday, less than two weeks before the Games begin, amid worries about whether the measures can stem a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Organisers last week announced that spectators would be banned from nearly all venues. Spectators from abroad were already banned months ago, and officials are now asking residents to watch the Games on TV to keep the movement of people, which could spread contagion, to a minimum.
Opinion polls have consistently shown the Japanese public is concerned about going ahead with the event during the pandemic.
The Games, postponed from last year because of the pandemic, run from Friday, July 23 to Sunday, August 8, while the state of emergency – the capital's fourth – lasts until Sunday, August 22, shortly before the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics begin.
– Additional reporting by Reuters
