Japan's PM Abe opens Tokyo 2020 National Stadium

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SHOWS:

TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 15, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. OLYMPIC RINGS OUTSIDE NATIONAL STADIUM

2. EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL STADIUM

TOKYO, JAPAN (DECEMBER 15, 2019) (FOREIGN POOL - ACCESS ALL)

3. VARIOUS INTERIORS OF NATIONAL STADIUM

4. CEREMONY TO STADIUM INAUGURATION UNDERWAY

5. JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE WALKING ONTO STAGE

6. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER, SHINZO ABE, SAYING:

"For this National Stadium which will be the symbol of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, I assume there must have been many difficulties in the process of its construction. The design was changed during the process. It is purely the result of everyone's 'All Japan' contribution and hardwork, so that we can finally celebrate today."

7. JAPANESE FLAG

8. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER, SHINZO ABE, SAYING:

"We have to make next year's Tokyo games as an opportunity to share dreams and hopes, to create a proud legacy, to show Japan's power to the world, and open up the future of this country."

9. CEREMONY UNDERWAY

STORY: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday (December 15) hailed the completion of the National Stadium built for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, at an inauguration ceremony at the Kengo Kuma-designed venue, praising the efforts to finish on schedule after an early setback.

The stadium, built at a cost of 156.9 billion yen ($1.44 billion), will have a capacity of 68,000 when it hosts the Olympic Games opening ceremony on July 24.

It will stage athletics and soccer events at the Games as well as the closing ceremony.

"There must have been many difficulties in the process of its construction. The design was changed during the process. It is purely the result of everyone's 'All Japan' contribution and hardwork, so that we can finally cerebrate today," said Abe during a speech, referring to the challenges organisers faced when the original design was scrapped because of a public outcry over spiralling costs.

The change meant construction did not begin until December 2016 and the stadium was unable to host matches at this year's Rugby World Cup as originally planned.

Sunday's ceremony was restricted to a small number of officials and a public event celebrating the stadium's opening will be held on Dec. 21.

The Emperor's Cup soccer final will be the first sporting contest to be staged there on New Year's Day.

The 2020 Olympics run from July 24 to Aug. 9.