2020 Tokyo Olympics kickstart with a bang after year-long delay

Tokyo Olympics 2020 Opening Ceremony

Tokyo Olympics has finally now got underway. After a year-long delay, athletes from around the world came together to officially kick off the games with the opening ceremony. It was a colorful opening for Tokyo Olympics 2020 at the New National Stadium at Shinjuku.

Traditional opening was followed, which included artistic program, parade of nations, lighting the Olympic cauldron, and the symbolic release of doves of peace.

The games were postponed last year because of the global pandemic. More than 11,000 athletes from 200 nations will be competing without spectators under unprecedented restrictions.

Fireworks light the sky. 1,824 drones formed a globe and put on an amazing show in the sky above Olympic Stadium.

The artistic program featured the history and culture of Japan. This year's theme is "United by Emotion." The Olympic rings which were made from wood harvested from trees planted at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics are assembled.

The parade of nations happened in what is a nearly empty stadium. Shirtless Tonga flagbearer Pita Taufatofua is back causing a stir again.

The person who lit the flame was Naomi Osaka. The tennis star was chosen as the person to carry the flame and light the final cauldron which was inside of a flower.

There are a small number of foreign guests and dignitaries at the ceremony. US First Lady Jill Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron among them.

The games have been marred by several controversies including a Covid-19 outbreak. The opening ceremonies director was sacked earlier over holocaust jokes but organizers insist that the games will indeed be successful. 

The most expensive Summer Olympics in history is deeply unpopular among the people of the host nation. Nearly 80 percent of Japanese people say they are against holding the games during this global health crisis. Earlier in the day people in Tokyo took to the streets to protest against the opening ceremony. 

There is anxiety amongst most Japanese about the state of the virus situation in Japan. Olympics organizers are certainly hoping that now that the opening ceremony has finished, the real sport begins in earnest that anxiety will shift towards excitement as the sporting competition truly begin.