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Olympics: Tokyo decorated to mark 1 year to go before Games

Jul 24, 2019 (Kyodo) - Organizers and official partners of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games ramped up decorations in parts of the city and held events at Haneda airport on Tuesday, one day before Japan starts the one-year countdown to the opening of the games.

In a project dubbed "Nihonbashi City Dressing," Olympic organizers and major real estate developer Mitsui Fudosan Co. decorated the streets of the business and commercial district with flags, curtains and massive posters of the Olympic logo and athletes expected to compete in the games.

Pieces of art depicting the Olympic rings and swimming athletes were installed on street corners, while giant posters of Japan's promising Olympic athletes, including competition climber Miho Nonaka, were splashed across glass windows of business buildings.

Electronic billboards also played promotional videos of the Games.

The decorations, which will stay up until Aug. 25, aim to build excitement by turning the entire area into a model of a giant stadium. Decorations around the Olympic venue and throughout the city are expected to start around spring next year.

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