By SHUHEI NOMURA/ Staff Writer
January 23, 2020 at 16:20 JST
From left, Olympic dressage rider Akane Kuroki, Para-triathlete Wakako Tsuchida, Olympic swimmer Daiya Seto, Para-track and field athlete Kaede Maegawa, Olympic weightlifter Hiromi Miyake and Para-archer Tomohiro Ueyama wear Team Japan’s official uniforms for the opening ceremonies at the Tokyo Games on Jan. 23 in Tokyo. (Satoru Semba)
The official uniforms for Japan's athletes competing in this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been unveiled, emphasizing comfort and breathability for heat resistance.
The uniforms are the same for Olympic athletes and Paralympic athletes for the first time.
The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) and Japanese Paralympic Committee revealed the Games wear to the media on Jan. 23, adding that the design is meant to "symbolize an inclusive society."
Members of the national team will wear a white jacket and red pants for the opening ceremonies, in a reversal of the 1964 Olympics also held in the capital, where athletes sported a red jacket and white pants.
The committees also unveiled a navy jacket and white pants combination for other formal events that require men to wear a tie.
A pair of culottes will be optional for women in both combinations.
Menswear maker Aoki Inc., an official sponsor of the Tokyo Games, will produce the apparel.
Daiya Seto, a 25-year-old elite swimmer who has informally qualified for the national team at the Tokyo Olympics, appeared at a news conference in one of the uniforms.
"They are very stretchy. I feel stress-free when wearing them," he said.
Uniforms will be made for about 1,100 members, including officials for the Olympics, and for more than 500 Paralympics members.
The JOC and others called on companies to submit uniform designs, one requirement being that they are truly "made in Japan" with respect to materials and the production process.
Official uniforms for judges and others involved in the Games will be produced by Aoki and Asics Corp.
Official sportswear to be worn by athletes before and after competing will be unveiled in February.
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