The U.S. State Department has said that Washington would discuss with allies a potential boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics over human rights concerns, a move that could force Japan into a corner as it grapples with how best to confront its powerful neighbor over the issue.
“It is something that we certainly wish to discuss and that it is certainly something that we understand that a coordinated approach will be not only in our interests but also in the interests of our allies and partners,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday in response to a question about a boycott. “So this is one of the issues that is on the agenda both now and going forward.”
Later, a senior U.S. official appeared to tamp down any shift in the U.S. stance on attending the games.