US President Joe Biden to skip Tokyo Olympics 2021, says White House

US President Joe Biden will not attend the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo, the White House announced on Monday.

"The president is not planning to attend the games," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. The Tokyo Olympic Games are due to take place from July 23 until August 8.

Despite Biden's absence, Japan and the US are making arrangements for US first lady Jill Biden to visit Japan for the Tokyo Olympics.

Besides attending the opening ceremony, the US first lady is likely to hold a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, The Japan Times reported.

Earlier, President Biden had expressed his support for Suga's resolve to hold the games amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Experts have raised concerns that the world's largest sporting event, which got delayed for a year due to pandemic, could trigger a fresh wave of the virus.