Tokyo Olympics begin with muted ceremony, empty stadium; Naomi Osaka lights cauldron. See photos.

July 23, 2021 8:35 AM

Associated Press

Posted: July 23, 2021 8:35 AM

Updated: August 9, 2021 2:56 AM

TOKYO (AP) — Belated and beleaguered, the virus-delayed Tokyo Summer Olympics finally opened Friday night with cascading fireworks and made-for-TV choreography that unfolded in a near-empty stadium, a colorful but strangely subdued ceremony that set a striking tone to match a unique pandemic Games.

As their opening played out, devoid of the usual crowd energy, the Olympics convened amid simmering anger and disbelief in much of the host country, but with hopes from organizers that the excitement of the sports to follow would offset the widespread opposition.

Keep scrolling for a complete photo gallery from the Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony

“Today is a moment of hope. Yes, it is very different from what all of us had imagined,” IOC President Thomas Bach said. “But let us cherish this moment because finally we are all here together.”

“This feeling of togetherness — this is the light at the end of the dark tunnel of the pandemic,” Bach declared. Later, Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka received the Olympic flame from a torch relay through the stadium and lit the Olympic cauldron.

Trepidations throughout Japan have threatened for months to drown out the usual packaged glitz of the opening. Inside the stadium after dusk Friday, however, a precisely calibrated ceremony sought to portray that the Games — and their spirit — are going on. Read the full story here:

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PHOTO GALLERY

Morry Gash
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Jeff Roberson
Fireworks are seen over Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Shuji Kajiyama
Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
Eugene Hoshiko
Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of 2020 Tokyo Olympics views from Shibuya Sky observation deck Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Patrick Semansky
Fireworks go off at the start of the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Lee Jin-man
The cauldron sits near a stage during the opening ceremony in an empty Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
David J. Phillip
Dancers are seen during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Ashley Landis
A performer cycles during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
David J. Phillip
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Morry Gash
The Japanese flag is carried in during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Natacha Pisarenko
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Eugene Hoshiko
Fireworks illuminate over the National Stadium during the opening ceremony of 2020 Tokyo Olympics views from Shibuya Sky observation deck Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
David J. Phillip
Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip
Fireworks explode during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Natacha Pisarenko
President of the IOC Thomas Bach, left, waves during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Lee Jin-man
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
A dancer performs during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Morry Gash
ASctors perform during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Ashley Landis
Misia performs during the Japan flag raising during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Hannah McKay
Performers participate during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Ashley Landis
A dancer performs during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Ashley Landis
Lanterns illuminated during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Natacha Pisarenko
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Charlie Riedel
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Hannah McKay
Fireworks illuminate during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Hannah McKay
Team Argentina arrives during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Patrick Semansky
Cecilia Carranza Saroli and Santiago Raul Lange, of Argentina, right, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Hannah McKay
Team Italy arrives during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Petr David Josek
Anna Korakaki and Eleftherios Petrounias, of Greece, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
David J. Phillip
Hanna Minenko and Yakov Toumarkin, of Israel, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip
Athletes are introduced during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
Athletes from Saudi Arabia walk during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Leon Neal
First lady of the United States Jill Biden watches the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP)
Leon Neal
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, left, and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi watch the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP)
Shuji Kajiyama
Protesters, left bottom, gather outside the National Stadium, before the opening ceremony starts at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
Ashley Landis
Colombian athletes wave Japanese flags as they enter the stadium during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Charlie Riedel
Miranda Ayim and Nathan Hirayama, of Canada, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi, of Britain, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
David J. Phillip
Pita Taufatofua, of Tonga, walks during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip
Athletes from Colombia walk during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Hannah McKay
Malia Paseka and Pita Taufatofua, of Tonga, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Morry Gash
Sue Bird and Eddy Alvares, of the United States of America, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Lee Jin-man
Athletes of the United States wave during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Natacha Pisarenko
Sue Bird and Eddy Alvares, of the United States of America, carry their country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Morry Gash
Athletes are seen with fireworks during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Morry Gash
President of the International Olympic Committee Thomas Bach speaks during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Hannah McKay
Team Hong Kong arrives during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Natacha Pisarenko
Drones perform above the stadium during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
David J. Phillip
The Olympic flag and the flag of Japan fly during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
The Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Petr David Josek
The Olympic flag is raised during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Hannah McKay
Seiko Hashimoto, president of The Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games speaks next to Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, left, during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Hannah McKay
Dancers perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Hannah McKay
The Japan flag is carried in during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Morry Gash
The Olympic flag is carried during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Hannah McKay
A performer participates during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Ashley Landis
An actor performs during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Dylan Martinez
Actors, center, perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dylan Martinez/Pool Photo via AP)
Ashley Landis
Actors perform during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Petr David Josek
Hiromi performs during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Charlie Riedel
Torch bearers carry the Olympics flame during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Hannah McKay
Naomi Osaka carries the Olympic Torch during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Hannah McKay/Pool Photo via AP)
Kirsty Wigglesworth
Naomi Osaka climbs stairs to light the Olympic Cauldron during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Morry Gash
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
David J. Phillip
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic flame during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
David J. Phillip
Naomi Osaka stands beside the Olympic flame after lighting it during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Morry Gash
Naomi Osaka lights the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Charlie Riedel
The Olympic flame burns during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Morry Gash
Fireworks are seen during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Lee Jin-man
The Olympic flame burns during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)