Japan Not In Talks With US To Boycott 2022 Winter Olympics In Beijing, Government Spokesperson Says

The top spokesperson confirmed the news on Wednesday following ongoing tensions between numerous Western nations and the Chinese government over alleged human rights abuses in the mainland's westernmost region.

The Japanese government has not entered talks with the United States on a potential boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Katsunobu Kato, Japan's top government spokesman said on Wednesday as quoted by Reuters.

The news comes as the US announced on Tuesday it would seek partners and allies to determine how to proceed with the Beijing Olympics in a coordinated manner amid calls to boycott the event over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Japan was set to host the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo but faced setbacks due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The news comes just weeks after the European Union (EU) blacklisted Chinese officials in March over the allegations, imposing travel bans and asset freezes on four Chinese individuals and one entity, Reuters revealed.

Canadian lawmakers passed a nonbinding measure 266-0 to declare the allegations genocide along with accusations of forced labour following the publishing of an open letter of 180 human rights groups and MPs in Ottowa.