The New Zealand Paralympic team will not attend tomorrow night's opening ceremony, as a new wave of Covid-19 in Japan has seen case numbers skyrocket to over 20,000 a day.
Chef de mission Paula Tesoriero said exposing the team to any extra Covid infection was a risk the Kiwis weren't willing to take.
"We have made a decision to have some processes and precedures that are more stringent in how we are here in the context of Covid," she said.
The New Zealand team measures are so strict they didn't want to risk athletes coming down to the village plaza, a mixed zone where athletes can be interviewed. Instead 1 NEWS had to catch up with Wheel Black Gareth Lynch over Zoom.
"It's not the end of the world, we're not attending the opening ceremony, we are here to do our jobs and perform," Lynch said.
"To do that we want to stay as safe as possible. We don't want any chance of Covid getting into the team. We're happy with the decision."
A total of 183 countries are competing at the Games.
New Zealand is one of 21 nations who have pulled their athletes from the opening ceremony. The New Zealand team will instead have their own private celebration within their bubble in the Paralympic Village.
"It will really be about coming together and talking about why we are here and what we hope to achieve during the Games," Tesorier said.
TVNZ Duke will show all the New Zealand moments from noon until 1am daily from August 24, and highlights will be on TVNZ 1, Duke and OnDemand.
Michelle Prendiville is in Tokyo covering the action for 1 NEWS.
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