The U.S. government is considering sending first lady Jill Biden to Japan for the Tokyo Olympics starting next month, a diplomatic source said Tuesday, noting that she may attend the opening ceremony.
White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a press conference on Monday that President Joe Biden is not planning to attend the games, but stopped short of revealing who will lead the U.S. delegation.
"We will have a delegation from the United States, as we have historically had," she said.
A visit by the first lady to Japan would likely underscore the close ties between the United States and Japan.
Biden has been reiterating his support for Japan's plan to hold a "safe and secure" Tokyo Olympics amid lingering concerns over pushing ahead with the global sporting event without the coronavirus pandemic fully under control.
Among world leaders, the French government has made clear that President Emmanuel Macron will be attending the July 23 opening ceremony.
The Tokyo Olympics were postponed last year for 12 months due to the pandemic.
At the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, then U.S. Vice President Mike Pence attended the opening event. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, then Secretary of State John Kerry led the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony.
As for the 2012 games in London, then first lady Michelle Obama represented the U.S. delegation.
