Asia

Japanese Emperor Receives World Leaders, US First Lady Ahead of Olympics Opening, Reports Say

TOKYO (Sputnik) - Japanese Emperor Naruhito has welcomed a number of world leaders and US First Lady Jill Biden at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo ahead of the opening of the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Kyodo news agency reported on Friday.
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The details of the meetings have not been disclosed yet.
The emperor will deliver a speech during the opening ceremony later on Friday. In total, up to 950 guests are expected to attend the event, including French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Summer Olympics in Tokyo, initially scheduled to take place in 2020, were postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is currently set to last until 8 August with stringent restrictions put in place to prevent the spread of the virus, including the ban on spectators on nearly all Olympic venues.
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