Fewer than 1,000 to watch Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony in stadium: official

People walk past the Olympic Rings near the new National Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on July 8, 2021. The opening ceremony will be held on July 23 with less than 1,000 people to watch in the stadium. (Photo by Christopher Jue/Xinhua)

Fewer than 1,000, including officials and reporters, get the permission of watching Tokyo 2020 Olympics opening ceremony in the main stadium.

TOKYO, July 22 (Xinhua) -- Only about 950 people, including officials and reporters, will be allowed to watch Friday's opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in the main stadium, a senior official from the organizing committee said on Thursday.

Hidemasa Nakamura, chief of Tokyo 2020 main operation center, told a press briefing that apart from the above-mentioned group, the rest allowed into the stadium are performers and athletes participating in the event.

The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee also reported 12 new positive COVID-19 cases related to the Olympics on Thursday, with two infected foreign athletes in the athletes village.

A total of 87 people associated with the Olympics have so far tested positive for the virus in Tokyo since the local organizing committee started to record the figures on July 1.

In terms of new cases of COVID-19 infections, Nakamura noted it would be "extremely difficult" to get rid of the virus completely, but adding that they are capable of identifying new cases quickly and containing the spread of the virus.

"We hope to provide a safe environment for all, and of course, we need everyone's help," he said.

Fans will be banned from the opening ceremony due to concerns about COVID-19.