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)
4:49 p.m. Athletes are starting to feel the heat and humidity in Tokyo, which led to the marathon's relocation to Hokkaido in the north. Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva briefly fainted during a qualifying round this afternoon. Medics also responded to overheated people who had gathered around the National Stadium to watch the Blue Impulse air squadron's skywriting exhibition.
4:37 p.m. Indonesia's National Olympic Committee plans to launch a bid to host the Summer Olympics in 2036 after losing out this week to a bid by Brisbane to hold the 2032 Games, the head of the committee says.
"We will not back down and will continue to fight for the 2036 Olympics," Raja Sapta Oktohari, the chief of Indonesia's committee, said in a statement.
4:15 p.m. Tokyo 2020 is considering appointing former president Yoshiro Mori as an honorary supreme adviser, Asahi Shimbun reported. Mori resigned in February over sexist remarks. Criticism has been growing over his potential appointment on social media.
3:41 p.m. Emperor Naruhito received a courtesy visit from U.S. first lady Jill Biden and other foreign dignitaries at the Imperial Palace. It was the first time for the emperor to meet with the first lady, who is leading the U.S. delegation to the opening ceremony.
3:18 p.m. Japan's Naomi Osaka has had her opening match in the women's singles event pushed back by a day to Sunday following a request from Tokyo 2020 organizers, the International Tennis Federation told Reuters.
There was no reason given for the switch
A woman suffering from heatstroke is cooled off after watching the Blue Impulse aerobatics performance in Tokyo on Friday. (Photo by Ken Kobayashi) 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.