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Japan’s emperor Naruhito declares Tokyo Olympics open

By Salami Azeez

July 23, 2021

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito officially opened the Tokyo Olympics on Friday in a nearly empty stadium after the Games were postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“I declare open the Games of Tokyo,” Naruhito said during a three-hour ceremony attended by just a few hundred officials and dignitaries and several thousand athletes in the 68,000-capacity Olympic Stadium.