Summary

  • Tokyo Olympic Games declared open in poignant ceremony

  • Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka lights Olympic flame

  • 'Today is a moment of hope,' says IOC president Thomas Bach

  • Japan’s Emperor Naruhito among almost 1,000 VIPs and delegates attending

  • Ceremony at Tokyo Olympic Stadium without spectators

  • Only 22 of GB's 375-strong squad join much-reduced athletes' parade

  • Protests against the Games outside stadium

Live Reporting

Stephan Shemilt

  1. Andrew Cotter
    Athletics commentator on BBC TV

    There's such a different feel to the parade.

    Again, the athletes are socially distanced and usually they would hear the roar of the stadium as they came in.

  2. Dual flagbearers

    Remember, for the first time teams have a male and female flagbearer.

    For Great Britain it will be sailor Hannah Mills and rower Mohamed Sbihi.

    It's a great idea, but should they have given them a flag each? It looks a bit awkward having two people trying to carry one flag.

  3. Oh, yes! Argentina are absolutely having it! They have arrived bouncing. Literally. Big huddle, jumping up and down.

    They are my favourites so far.

  4. Hazel Irvine
    Presenter on BBC TV

    There's great excitement about the participation of the Irish women's hockey team - they have made it for the very first time and they are going to be in Great Britain's group with a match-up next Saturday.

    In the golf, of course they have Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry - so many chances for the Irish.

  5. Andrew Cotter
    Athletics commentator on BBC TV

    I know you'll all have your own countries and your own favourites.

    Great Britain and Northern Ireland are fairly early in the ceremony, Ireland are very early indeed.

    If you're a fan of the United States, settle in for the long haul.

  6. Other than that, the entry list follows the Japanese alphabet...

  7. If you're new to this sort of thing, Greece, the original Olympic hosts, enter first. Japan, as host nation, will enter last. There are 207 teams in total.

    Greece enter the stadiumGetty Images

  8. The athletes' parade

    "Ladies and gentleman, the great moment has arrived."

    The stars of these Games, the athletes, are about to enter the stadium.

  9. Bizarre openings

    Text 81111 (standard rates apply, UK only)

    My School library (The Millennium Library) was opened by none other than Richard Madeley..........Still unsure as to why..

    Sean

  10. I think you're missing the point, Steven.

  11. Get Involved

    #bbcolympics

    Steven Wood: Why can’t they just once do an opening ceremony where they simply bring out the athletes and light the torch with a load of fireworks and have done with it?!?

  12. All dressed up...

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  13. On the subject of Gladiators, they really should have considered some of those events as Olympic sports, shouldn't they?

    The travelator, hang tough, that one where they bashed each other with massive sticks to see if someone would fall of a high platform.

    Think of the TV ratings...

  14. Please put your names on texts, especially when they are as good as that one.

    Otherwise, you don't get any of the glory...

  15. Bizarre openings

    Text 81111 (standard rates apply, UK only)

    I saw Wolf from Gladiators open up a new petrol station near our school. I was a bit disappointed as he arrived in a mundane family car and not some monster truck.

    Anon

  16. Andrew Cotter
    Athletics commentator on BBC TV

    There are estimated to be around 1,000 or so people in attendance - diginitaries and delegates.

    And we will soon see plenty of athletes coming into the stadium.

    DancersGetty Images

  17. Moment of remembrance

    There has been has moment of silence in remembrance of those we have lost.

    Perhaps now, more than ever, it is extremely poignant.

  18. Ordinarily, the opening ceremony would be packed with athletes waiting to parade into the stadium.

    Instead, for Covid reasons, there will be just a handful. Only 30 or so of the Great Britain team will be there.

    The women's football team is watching from Sapporo. I'd love it if any of the athletes are following this page...

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  19. Mercifully, the runner has been allowed to stop in time for the national anthem of Japan.

  20. Hazel Irvine
    Presenter on BBC TV

    Our treadmill runner, her boxing qualifier was cancelled and places were allocated instead on world rankings.

    She didn't make the cut and her part in this ceremony speaks to the struggles of every athlete who has made it here - and those who didn't.