Sep 06 (NHK) - The Tokyo Paralympics have now come to a close with a spectacular ceremony featuring music, dance and performance.
Around 4,400 athletes from 162 countries and territories participated in the Games, the most ever.
The athletes marched in carrying their flags, starting with the refugee team. Athletes from Afghanistan were present, even though they had given up on participating at one point. During the opening ceremony, the flag was carried in by a volunteer.
With harmony in mind, dancers conjured a vision of society celebrating diversity.
Tokyo's governor passed the Paralympic flag to the International Paralympic Committee president who then handed it over to the mayor of Paris. The French capital hosts the Games in 2024.
The ceremony was aired live in the City of Light, where crowds gathered near the Eiffel Tower. Some of the medal winners from Tokyo were there.
As the ceremony came to a close, the Paralympic flame was extinguished.
At Tokyo Tower in the city center, the word "arigato," meaning "thank you," was written out in giant letters and bright lights.
