Tokyo Olympics Talk at White House

(ATR) The prime minister of Japan assures the U.S. president Tokyo will deliver the Olympics.

Suga Yoshihide met at the White House Friday with President Joseph Biden.

The two leaders spent more than two hours together, Suga the first foreign head of state to visit the White House with Biden as president.

A press conference following lasted 15 minutes in the Rose Garden. In his opening remarks Suga said he told President Biden Japan is committed to delivering the postponed Games, which now carries the risk of challenging public opinion calling for the event to be postponed again or cancelled outright.

"I expressed my determination to realize the Tokyo Olympic and ParalympicGames as a symbol of global unity this summer and President Biden once again expressed his support. Japan will continue to carefully and prepare for the Tokyo Olympics," said Suga.

Suga did not respond to a question posed by Reuters asking whether Japan should proceed with the Olympics as the country wrestles with a coronavirus surge.

Asked again about the Olympics by a Japanese reporter Suga repeated the assurance he mentioned a few minutes earlier. Biden ended the press conference after questions from only three reporters, two from the U.S., one from Japan.

There was no mention of an invitation from Suga to Biden for the Olympics and Paralympics. Foreign spectators have been banned from the Games. Heads of state, even from those of important allies, for now may be included among those unwelcome guests.

Reported by Ed Hula.