1.
LS (PAN) SPECTATORS INSIDE STADIUM
4 1/2 ft

2.
MS BAND MASTER CONDUCTING ORCHESTRA
6 1/2 ft

3.
MS AUSTRALIAN TEAM PLACARD CARRIED INTO STADIUM (TWO SHOTS)
11 1/2 ft

4.
LS HONGKONG -------DITTO-------
16 ft

5.
MS TIMEKEEPER RECORDING TIME
17 ft

6.
MS MALAYSIAN TEAM PLACARD INTO STADIUM
21 ft

7.
MS SCOREBOARD WITH NAMES OF PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
23 ft

8.
MS NEW ZEALAND TEAM PLACARD
29 ft

9.
CU TIMEKEEPER
30 1/2 ft

10.
MS THAI TEAM PLACARD
35 1/2 ft

11.
MLS BAND MASTER CONDUCTING
37 1/2 ft

12.
MS THAI TEAM PLACARD
43 ft

13.
MLS 'TEAMS' LINING UP
45 1/2 ft

14.
LS TORCH BEARER ARRIVES INSIDE STADIUM
49 ft

15.
MS FANFARE (TWO SHOTS)
51 1/2 ft

16.
LS RELEASED BALLOONS
54 ft

17.
LS TORCH BEARER RUNS UP STEPS TO GAS URN (THREE SHOTS)
69 1/2 ft

18.
LS SCOREBOARD AND FLAGS
71 1/2 ft

19.
MS RUNNER LIGHTS GAS URN AND RUNS OFF (TWO SHOTS)
76 ft

20.
LS LIGHT URN
78 ft

21.
LS RELEASED PIGEONS
81 1/2 ft

22.
MLS SCHOOLCHILDREN SINGING
84 ft

23.
LS PIGEONS IN FLIGHT
88 ft



Initials



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: WITH ELEVEN DAYS TO GO BEFORE THE START OF THE 1964 TOKYO OLYMPICS, JAPANESE OLYMPIC ORGANISERS ARE MAKING EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO PROVIDE COMFORTABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ALL EIGHT THOUSAND COMPETITIONS AND OFFICIALS.

ON SEPTEMBER 27, AN OLYMPIC DRESS REHEARSAL WAS HELD AT THE TOKYO NATIONAL STADIUM. MORE THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS ATTENDED. THOSE WHO TOOK PART WERE DRAWN FROM THE SELF-DEFENCE FORCES, SCOUT MOVEMENTS AND SCHOOLS.

THE OPENING CEREMONY WAS A COLOURFUL EVENT. JAPANESE MEN AND WOMEN, WHO HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED TO WORK DURING THE TWO-WEEK OLYMPIC PERIOD, CARRIED PLACARDS OF PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES.

AS THE PLACARD OF EACH COUNTRY WAS CARRIED INTO THE STADIUM, THE OLYMPIC FLAG WAS HOISTED BY A MEMBER OF THE JAPANESE SELF DEFENCE FORCE.

NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD YOSHINORI SAKAI, A COLLEGE STUDENT, WHO WAS SELECTED AS THE LAST JAPANESE TORCH RUNNER, CARRIED THE TORCH INTO THE STADIUM AND WAS ENTHUSIASTICALLY APPLAUDED BY THE SPECTATORS. YOSHINORI SAKAI RAN UP THE FLIGHT OF STEPS TO LIGHT A GIANT GAS URN TO THE ACCOMPANIMENT OF A FANFARE PLAYED BY AN ORCHESTRA.

TO WIND UP THE CEREMONY, THOUSANDS OF COLOURED BALLOONS AND PIGEONS WERE RELEASED IN THE STADIUM.

MEANWHILE, THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS AT THE OLYMPIC MAIN AND BRANCH VILLAGES ROSE TO 1,435 FROM MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE 98 COMPETING COUNTRIES.

THE LIVES OF ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS LIVING IN THE VILLAGE HAVE BEEN INSURED BY THE ORGANISING COMMITTEE. THE BENEFIT, PAYABLE ONLY IF THE INSURED PERSON DIES WHILE STILL LIVING IN THE VILLAGE, IS NEARBY TWICE AS BIG AS THE SUM FOR WHICH ATHLETES AND OFFICIALS WERE INSURED DURING THE ROME OLYMPICS IN 1960.