【共同社8月24日電】在東京殘奧會開幕式前，擔任殘奧會名譽總裁的日本天皇24日下午在皇宮宮殿會見國際殘奧委會（IPC）主席帕森斯等相關人士。天皇用英語表示“希望各位運動員能在健康狀態下安心投入比賽，發揮最好水平”，期待采取萬全的防疫對策。
天皇介紹了從曾見證1964年東京殘奧會的上皇夫婦聽聞的一些事，以及自己作為皇太子在1998年長野冬季殘奧會時和皇後一起觀賽並深受感動。關於新冠疫情下的此次大賽運營，天皇提及殘奧選手的重症化風險，稱“我想這將是不同於奧運會的困難，對各位相關人士的盡力深表敬意”。
帕森斯表示：“為了實現對所有人而言安全的大賽，在這裏將竭盡全力。”
國際殘奧委員會（IPC）和東京奧運會和殘奧會組委會24日在東京有明的主新聞中心（MPC）召開記者會，國際殘奧會發言人斯賓塞表示：此次殘奧會將有161個國家和地區及難民選手隊的4,403名運動員參賽，史上最多。
Iconic Italian wheelchair fencer Bebe Vio wears her emotions on her sleeve. Her perspective about success speaks volumes.#StrongerTogether | @Paralympics | @VioBebe pic.twitter.com/ZIV1egwJu0
— Olympics (@Olympics) August 23, 2021
#WeThe15 is the biggest-ever human rights campaign in history with the goal of ending discrimination against the 1.2 billion people with disabilities. #UnitedByEmotion | #Paralympics pic.twitter.com/kwgAuuvCID
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) August 24, 2021
The #Tokyo2020 #Paralympic cauldron is lit! pic.twitter.com/RP06SQqAqA
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) August 24, 2021
Those colours!
— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) August 24, 2021
The Parade of Athletes has now finished! #OpeningCeremony #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/Jh6owUqJvp
LOOK: The Afghanistan flag joined the parade of athletes during the #Paralympics opening ceremony as a “sign of solidarity."
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) August 24, 2021
2 Afghan athletes were unable to reach Tokyo after the Taliban took control of the country pic.twitter.com/uIUnwEdTq7
THAT'S U.S. #TeamUSA x #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/R5SHrlU6Wh
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 24, 2021
HAPPENING NOW: The Tokyo 2020 #Paralympics officially kick off with fireworks and dances at the opening ceremony Tuesday pic.twitter.com/nN3ovLlDbM
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) August 24, 2021
