2022 Winter Olympics: Japan Says No Plans To Send Govt Officials To Beijing

Earlier this month, the UK and Canada had announced that they will not send their government officials to the Winter Olympic Games after the US and Australia had declared the same intentions earlier.

New Delhi: Japan announced that “it has no plans to send government officials” to the Beijing Winter Olympics, although the players would participate. The decision from Japan comes after, the US, Australia, Canada, and UK declared a diplomatic boycott of the games.

The diplomatic boycott was announced due to concerns of human rights violations in Xinjiang and other parts of China, reports AFP. 

"Tokyo will not send its government delegation to the Winter Olympic Games set to commence in February," Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said reports news agency Reuters.

"Rather, officials directly related to the Games will be sent which will include the head of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee and heads of domestic Olympics and Paralympic committees," Chief Cabinet Secretary added.  

Earlier this month, the UK and Canada had announced that they will not send their government officials to the Winter Olympic Games after the US and Australia had declared the same intentions earlier.

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While on one hand, the US and its allies are announcing diplomatic boycotts, on the other hand, Pakistan denounced the move and said that politics should be kept away from sports. 

South Korea also ruled out joining the diplomatic boycott. 

The International Olympic Committee however said that despite an increasing number of diplomatic boycotts, it was pleased that the athletes would still be participating in the Games.