A total of 69.9 percent of people do not expect the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held this summer as scheduled amid the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus, a Kyodo News survey showed Monday.

The poll, conducted from Saturday to Monday by phone, comes as Japan continues with preparations for the Olympics, scheduled for July 24 to Aug. 9, and the Paralympics, from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saying he has no immediate plan to declare a state of emergency and that the Summer Games will go ahead as scheduled.

Even though public opinion is split on how well the government has responded to the crisis, the approval rating for Abe's Cabinet rose to 49.7 percent from 41.0 percent in February.