Japan National Stadium, where opening ceremony are planned for Tokyo Olympics, Jan. 21, 2021, in Tokyo. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The opening ceremony of this month's Tokyo Olympics has been extended by 30 minutes as part of measures to enhance the safety of athletes amid the coronavirus pandemic, the games organizing committee said Friday.

       The committee said it has changed the schedule to have the ceremony end at 11:30 p.m. because the extra time will be needed for athletes to march in the National Stadium, with enough physical distancing between them.

       The opening ceremony on July 23 was originally set to take place for three hours from 8 p.m.

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