Jill Biden, United State’s first lady, is leading her country’s diplomatic delegation to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which sends a message of support to the key Asian ally despite concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Thursday afternoon, Jill Biden arrived at the Yokota Air Base in Japan wearing a red dress and a face mask, and was greeted by the Japan’s foreign minister and by US and Japanese base officials on the start of the long visit to Japan.
The officials of Olympic and Japan had forged ahead with the sports spectacle despite the public’s opposition in the country to host huge numbers of athletes, staff and media. Dozens of the atheletes had already been tested positive for COVID-19.
However, President Joe Biden sought the pandemic postponed games as a critical moment for the show of support for a longtime ally and trading partner, whom he hopes for support of the efforts of United States to check China’s rise.
In the evening, Jill Biden had dinner with Yoshihide Suga, the Prime Minister, and his wife, Mariko Suga. Her motorcade pulled in to the ornate Akasaka Palace after passing the people taking pictures.
The Prime Minister will be only meeting 15 world leaders on the sidelines of the Olympics while compared to initial expectations which were to be of as many as 120 leaders.
In April, President Joe Biden hosted Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the White House.
Jill Biden’s Olympics trip has been the first lady’s first solo adventure abroad and would include three days in the grounds of Japan.
For Friday, Jill Biden has planned to attend the opening ceremony. She would also meet the Team USA athletes, the US foreign service officers and the Japanese Emperor Naruhito.
