Residents of the capital are divided over whether they think the 2020 Olympic marathon and race-walking events should be held in Sapporo, according to a recent survey by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

In the survey of around 2,000 residents conducted Tuesday and Wednesday last week, 36 percent supported the International Olympic Committee's plan to shift the events to Sapporo, while 32 percent were opposed.

But 76 percent viewed the process for changing the venue as "inappropriate," given that the IOC abruptly announced the plan on Oct. 16 without providing sufficient explanation to the metropolitan government.