Olympics latest: Macron lands in Tokyo as Suga meets Pfizer CEO

TOKYO — The Tokyo Olympics are finally upon us after a long journey filled with controversy, and an unprecedented one-year postponement because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While some sports have already held events, it officially begins with the opening ceremony at the National Stadium on Friday evening.

Key events to watch on July 23 (Tokyo time)

8 p.m. Opening ceremony

Archery

9 a.m. Women’s individual ranking round. The field includes world record holder Kang Chae-young of South Korea.

1 p.m. Men’s individual ranking round. South Korean competitor Oh Jin-hyek won the individual event at the 2012 Olympics.

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Here are the latest developments in this evolving story:

Friday, July 23 (Tokyo time)

12:07 p.m. Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga meets Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla at the State Guest House in Tokyo to seek faster delivery of coronavirus vaccine shipments as infections. Bourla will attend the opening ceremony later today. Pfizer provided 40,000 doses of COVID vaccine to athletes and other people involved in the games.

11:29 a.m. Tokyo 2020 confirm 19 new Olympics-related COVID-19 infections, including three athletes and three members of the media, bringing the total to 106.

11:00 a.m. French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Tokyo. He is expected to discuss the issue of child abductions and Japan’s single custody system when he meets with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

An Olympic countdown clock in front of Tokyo Station, shown here on July 23, ticks down to the official opening of the Games. (Photo by Suzu Takahashi)

7:32 a.m. The firing of the artistic director of the opening ceremony over a decades-old skit about the Holocaust was just one of many scandals that have plagued the Games, highlighting the insular culture and the lack of social awareness among its organizers, writes Hisashi Tsutsui.

2:55 a.m. Guinea’s five athletes will participate in the Olympics after all, a statement from the West African nation’s sport ministry says, reversing the previous day’s decision to suspend its participation in the Games citing the pandemic.

2:18 a.m. Malicious software and websites have targeted both event organizers and ordinary fans.

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To catch up on earlier developments, see the last edition of latest updates.