Japan welcomed the world to the Olympic Games on Friday night. But few people were there to witness the celebration.
The opening ceremony in Tokyo included some memorable moments, perhaps none more so than when Naomi Osaka, one of the most famous athletes in the world and a gold medal contender, lighted the Olympic cauldron.
Yet with no fans in the stands because of coronavirus restrictions, the incongruous nature of these Games was also on full display. The stadium was eerily quiet at times, and parading athletes simply waved at the empty seats where their supporters should have been.