Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony Critiqued Amid Controversies and Imperial Symbolism
The opening ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, aired by NHK, was met with backlash for its lack of joy. Emperor Naruhito honored victims of COVID-19, which strayed from IOC guidelines. A day prior to the event, creative director Kentaro Kobayashi was dismissed after a 1998 skit mocking the Holocaust resurfaced. Composer Keigo Oyamada stepped down due to previous remarks about bullying disabled peers. The ceremony's visuals drew comparisons to Kinchan's All Japan Costume Grand Prix. Architect Kuma Kengo's wooden stadium was intended to reflect 'Japaneseness,' yet faced criticism for its inclusivity. Amid pandemic challenges, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's approval rating fell to 29.3%. The Games incurred costs of ¥1.6 trillion, with just 5.8% directed to Fukushima decontamination. Prominent roles were played by Black athletes Naomi Osaka and Rui Hachimura.
Key facts
- Emperor Naruhito deviated from IOC protocol to commemorate COVID-19 victims at the opening ceremony
- Creative director Kentaro Kobayashi was fired one day before the ceremony over Holocaust jokes
- Composer Keigo Oyamada (Cornelius) resigned days before the Games over past bullying revelations
- The ceremony was broadcast by NHK from Tokyo's Olympic Stadium designed by Kuma Kengo
- Toyota pulled Olympic commercials despite being top sponsor to avoid negative associations
- Only 5.8% of Olympic budget allocated to Fukushima decontamination 2017-2020
- 92% of Fukushima Exclusion Zone remains uninhabitable with 35,000 displaced residents
- Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's approval rating was 29.3% before the Games
Entities
Artists
- Roland Barthes
- Keigo Oyamada
- Cornelius
- Kuma Kengo
- Tange Kenzo
- Igarashi Taro
- Kentaro Kobayashi
- Sasaki Hiroshi
- Naomi Watanabe
- Tsubata Arisa
- Naomi Osaka
- Rui Hachimura
- Taro Nettleton
Institutions
- International Olympic Committee
- NHK
- NBC
- Liberal Democratic Party
- Toyota
- Asahi Shimbun
- Japanese Olympic Committee
- Temple University Japan Campus
Locations
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Olympic Stadium
- Akasaka Imperial Residence
- Imperial Palace
- Fukushima
- Exclusion Zone