BREAKING NEWS

The opening ceremony starts now, one year late and in a nearly empty stadium, as Covid cases in Japan rise. Follow our live coverage.

Friday, July 23, 2021 6:58 AM EST

In many ways, the event at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo will resemble opening ceremonies of the past.

But the most remarkable difference is that just like at almost every other Olympic event, there will be no fans. Approximately 1,000 dignitaries and news media members will be there to witness the event live, in a stadium designed to hold tens of thousands of people.

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