US trusts Japan to prioritise public health safety at Olympics: White House

The United States government has extended its trust over Japan's "commitment" to prioritise public health ahead of Tokyo Olympics this summer on July 23 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Kyodo News, White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday (local time) said that the US trusts Japan's commitment to prioritize public health as it prepares to host the Tokyo Olympics amid coronavirus pandemic.

The White House remarks came after a major Japanese daily newspaper called for the cancelation of the Olympics in an editorial, adding to the controversy over Japan's plan to push ahead with the global sporting event despite being still unable to bring the pandemic under control.

"The government of Japan has stressed that public health remains a central priority. And so that is the commitment that they made to us and to other countries where they will have athletes attending the Olympics in just a few weeks," Jean-Pierre, deputy press secretary, told a press conference.

"We trust what the government of Japan has stated to us," she added, reported the news agency.

Tokyo set to host the Olympics ahead on July 23. The country coronavirus tally witnessing surge in cases due to that the government expected to extend the state of emergency going on in many cities including Tokyo and Osaka. Japan has issued a state of emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Hyogo and Kyoto one month ago.

It's since been expanded to cover ten prefectures. Most will expire at the end of the month, but not if prefectural leaders get their way, reported NHK World.