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Attending the opening ceremony of the 16th Paralympic Games were Emperor Naruhito, Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, and several other high-ranking Japanese officials, sports officials from many countries, and leaders of several international organizations, along with thousands of athletes representing over 160 countries/territories participating in the Games.
Fireworks display at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons waves as he arrives at the opening ceremony. To his left is Emperor Naruhito of Japan.
The Tokyo Paralympic Games took place amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the host city was under a state of health emergency. Therefore, the Japanese government did not allow foreign spectators to enter the country to cheer on the athletes, while the organizers also prohibited domestic spectators from attending the events.
The Japanese flag was raised during the opening ceremony.
The Japanese flag and the Paralympic flag flew during the ceremony.
The Tokyo Paralympic Games featured 539 events across 22 sports, an increase of two sports compared to the previous Games, including two new sports making their Paralympic debut: badminton and taekwondo. A total of 4,403 athletes, including 1,853 female athletes, from 161 countries/territories participated. This was the Paralympic Games with the largest number of participating athletes ever.
The refugee sports delegation began the parade of nations. This marks the first time the Paralympic Games have included a refugee delegation.
The Irish sports delegation parades at the ceremony.
The Afghan flag was carried by two volunteers as a symbol of "unity and peace." Afghanistan has been the focus of global attention since the Taliban seized its capital. Afghan athletes withdrew from the Paralympic Games due to canceled flights from the country.
Among the countries/territories participating in the Tokyo Paralympic Games, five delegations are making their first appearance, including Bhutan and Paraguay, but several delegations such as Samoa, Kiribati, Tonga, and Vanuatu were unable to send athletes, mainly due to the pandemic.
Furthermore, according to the ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Russian athletes are allowed to participate in the Games, but are not permitted to use the country's name, flag, or anthem, and must present themselves as "neutral athletes" or "neutral sports teams".
The Russian Paralympic team marches in the opening ceremony.
The host nation Japan has the largest number of athletes at the Olympic Games.
The Japanese Paralympic team in Tokyo consists of 464 members, including 254 athletes competing in all sports. This is the largest Japanese delegation ever to participate in the Paralympic Games and also the largest delegation at this year's Paralympic Games.
The Vietnamese sports delegation parades at the ceremony.
The Vietnamese sports delegation consists of 15 members, including 7 athletes. The Vietnamese athletes will compete in three sports: swimming, weightlifting, and athletics.
Mr. Nguyen Hong Minh, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Physical Education and Sports, and Head of the Vietnamese sports delegation at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, shared: “Currently, all athletes are in good health, in high spirits, and ready to compete to achieve the best results and bring glory to the Fatherland.”
Artists performing at the opening ceremony.
A spectacular fireworks display over the stadium.
The Paralympic torch has been lit.
