Athletes' village for Tokyo Games opens without ceremony

The Olympic Village in Chuo Ward, Tokyo. The flags of Italy and France can be seen on the sides of residential buildings. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

The Olympic Village in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, opened quietly on Tuesday, 10 days before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

To help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, athletes can only enter the village right before their competitions, in principle. Only a small number of officials were present Tuesday, and only some of the residential buildings were lit at the night.

The International Olympic Committee is limiting the duration of each athlete's stay to prevent infection clusters, and there was no welcome ceremony at the village as there has been at past Games.

Only some of the residential buildings at the athletes village in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, have lights on at night. (Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Athletes' arrivals are expected to peak around the opening ceremony on July 23.

The village has about 3,800 residential spaces, a cafeteria, a fitness center and an outpatient fever clinic where athletes suspected of being infected will be examined and tested. More than 10,000 people are expected to use the village during the Tokyo Games.

After the Paralympics, the rooms will be renovated and turned into apartments.

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