TOKYO: Japan held a ceremony Sunday to mark the completion of the new National Stadium in Tokyo, which will be used as the main arena of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

"We went through various difficulties before the completion," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, expressing his hope that the stadium, "completed in the first year of Reiwa, will be a place where a new history of sports will be made."

During the ceremony at the stadium, Abe also pledged to "demonstrate the strength of Japan to the rest of the world" through the quadrennial competitions.

The ceremony was also attended by architect Kengo Kuma, who designed the facility, and Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike.

The 156.9-billion-yen stadium was built on the former site of the previous National Stadium. The new one is a five-story structure with two underground floors, with its building area about twice that of the old stadium.

It took three years to build the new stadium. During the Olympics from late July 2020, the facility will be used as the venue of the opening and closing ceremonies and track-and-field events.

Japan scrapped the previous construction plan for the stadium, devised by the late British architect Zaha Hadid. Her costly plan drew criticism from many corners in the Asian country.

Kuma's design is based on the concept of a stadium in forests, featuring the use of wooden materials.

The stadium opening event will be held Saturday. Next month, the finals of the annual Emperor's Cup national soccer championships and the annual university rugby championships will be held there.

The Reiwa period started May 1 this year upon the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.

JIJI Press