Japan's Suga meets dignitaries ahead of Olympics' official start

Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday begun meeting with foreign dignitaries, including US first lady Jill Biden, ahead of the official start of the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Leaders of about 15 countries and international organizations are expected to attend the opening ceremony on Friday, the Kyoto news agency reported.

Suga tweeted that he had met with Biden, who is leading the American Olympic delegation.

According to the Japanese Foreign Ministry, Biden told Suga that she hopes for the success of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Kyodo news agency reported.

The prime minister welcomed Biden's attendance at the opening ceremony, saying it was of "major significance" for Japan and US relations, the ministry said.

Suga had also met with South Sudan's Vice President Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior, UN high commissioner for refugees Filippo Grandi, World Health Organization director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrai Oyun-Erdene.

He is expected to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.

Suga also addressed the athletes taking part in the Games ahead of the opening.

"The sight of athletes aiming to be the very best in the world gives dreams and courage to young people and children and deeply moves them," Suga said in a video posted on Twitter.

"I want the athletes to fully demonstrate their abilities and show us their very best performances."

The conservative premier then raised his fist in front of the Japanese flag of his country and called: "Gambare, Nippon," - "Strive, Japan."

The opening ceremony will take place in Tokyo on Friday and will only be attended by 950 VIPs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Tokyo area is under a fourth coronavirus state of emergency for the duration of the Olympics.

The infection figures in Tokyo have recently reached their highest levels in six months.

The approval rating for Suga's Cabinet dropped to 35.9 per cent according to a poll by the Kyodo news agency last week.

This is the lowest level since he took office last year and reflects the public discontent with the government's plan to go ahead with the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo despite the pandemic.

Suga's term as party leader and head of government ends on September 30 and he must call lower house elections on October 21 at the latest.

According to political experts, he hopes that the Olympic Games will be successful despite the pandemic and that the atmosphere will be better after all.