Jill Biden departs Wednesday morning for a five-day international trip to Tokyo, Japan, her first solo trip abroad as first lady of the United States.

However, Biden’s visit to kick-off the Olympic Games in support of America’s athletes comes amid rising Covid-19 numbers in Japan, and specifically at the Games. As of Tuesday, the number of cases linked to the Tokyo Games had exceeded 70, despite stringent guidelines such as multiple tests, social distancing requirements and mask-wearing.

The 2020 Summer Games – already delayed a year because of Covid-19 – are set to start on Friday as the cases fuel safety concerns.

“There’s been