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According to John J. McAloon, who studies the Olympics from the perspective of spectacle theory, the modern Olympics is a unique performance that combines "spectacle," "festival," "ritual," and "games" (John J. McAloon, ed., "A Mirror Reflecting the World - The Charivari Carnival Olympics" (translated by Meiyou Mitsunobu et al.), Heibonsha, 1988). Events such as the opening and closing ceremonies contain all three of these elements except for "games." However, in Olympic studies to date, the content of the opening and closing ceremonies has not received much attention.

In addition to the opening ceremony's opening declaration by the head of state of the host country, the entrance march of the athletes, the athletes' oath, and the lighting of the Olympic flame, the International Olympic Committee has stipulated that an "arts program" must also be included in the opening ceremony. This "arts program" has become more grand since the 1984 Los Angeles Games, and is linked to the commercialization of the Olympics. Producing a big show also served as a strategy for TV stations to attract the attention of TV viewers and secure sponsors.

Many of the "art programs" are long, spectacular performances by world-renowned producers that liven up the Opening Ceremony. By presenting a proud story woven from the cultural and historical uniqueness of the host city, this program spreads the spirit of Olympism to the world, and at the same time, it is a place for the people to reaffirm and share their national identity. The content varies from programs that promote national prestige to programs that encourage the transition to a new national identity that is in line with the changing times. Since the end of the Cold War, the coexistence of diverse ethnicities and cultures both at home and abroad has become increasingly important as a challenge for world peace, and there has been an increase in performances that include messages of coexistence based on respect for diversity. This is in line with the position of Coubertin, the proponent of the modern Olympics, who believed that "true internationalism" that celebrates the diversity of people is what leads to world peace.

I first became interested in the "arts program" of the opening ceremony during the 2000 Olympics held in Sydney, Australia. Before the British settled in the 18th century, the Australian continent was home to many indigenous tribes with different languages and customs. Eventually, immigrants and refugees from all over the world began to arrive, and the continent transformed into one of the world's leading multicultural nations. There was a time when non-European immigration was restricted under the White Australia policy, but since the 1970s, multiculturalism, which respects and encourages the diversity of the people, has been promoted. I stayed in Australia until just before the Sydney Olympics to study multiculturalism.

The opening ceremony, directed by world-renowned director Rick Birch, was colored by the presence of indigenous peoples, as the bid campaign stated, "Hosting the Olympics that contributes to indigenous peoples." In the "Arts Program," a white girl dozes off on the beach and meets an indigenous elder in her dream, and the two of them lead the audience through a historical story of the Australian continent from ancient times to the present. The highlight of the event was the dynamic and diverse performance of traditional religious ceremonies and dances, performed by approximately 2,000 indigenous people from all over the country.

The arrival of immigrants and refugees from the five continents was also represented by the appearance of people wearing the colors of the Olympic rings, in the order of Africa, Asia, America, Europe and Oceania, and there was also a scene in which they gathered with indigenous peoples to appeal for multicultural coexistence. The most notable scene in terms of its message was the one in which a white girl and an indigenous elder stood side by side on a bridge, symbolizing ethnic reconciliation. It was a production that overcame the unfortunate history between indigenous peoples and whites, and emphasized the achievement of "reconciliation."

This "Art Program," which depicted harmony and coexistence among people of diverse origins, was praised both at home and abroad as an expression of the Olympic ideal. Many people in Japan welcomed the program for dispelling the notorious image of White Australia and presenting the world with an image of a mature, multicultural nation. On the other hand, there were also criticisms that the program was a staging that concealed reality. In reality, reconciliation is difficult due to past aggression and discriminatory acts against indigenous peoples by colonizers or states, and discrimination against indigenous peoples still exists. On the other hand, if we read it as a future-oriented message, we can also see the significance of daring to present a vision of a multicultural nation based on harmony with indigenous peoples in order to overcome difficulties and promote "reconciliation."

With regard to celebrating multiculturalism, the London 2012 Games faced a somewhat complicated situation. In its bid to host the Games, London's biggest selling point was the dynamism of its diversity, as indicated by the slogan "The World in One City," that is, the openness to multiculturalism of London as a cosmopolitan city where 50 ethnic groups live and more than 300 languages are spoken on a daily basis.

However, on July 7, 2005, the morning after London was awarded the bid to host the 2012 Olympics, simultaneous bomb attacks occurred in London. As the suspects were Muslims who were born and raised in the UK, the fear of the terrorist attacks was quickly translated into arguments that British multiculturalism had failed. This led to an atmosphere in which people were reluctant to unreservedly praise multiculturalism.

So what was the opening ceremony of the London Olympics like? It was directed by film director Danny Boyle and was a grand spectacle that showcased the history of England, using motifs such as "The Tempest" by the great British author Shakespeare and children's literature "Peter Pan." The sophisticated production depicted the history of England, starting from its rural origins, through the Industrial Revolution and World Wars, to the present day, when young people are enjoying the IT society.

In the industrial revolution scene, which was set on a large scale and likely the director put a lot of effort into, workers sweating their brows filled the venue. At first glance, it gives the impression of being a "workers' story" rather than a "multicultural story". However, if you look closely at the workers, you can see racial and ethnic diversity. In the pre-industrial revolution scenes, some of the characters are of African descent, which is contrary to historical fact, and in the modern scenes, a family is depicted with an African father and a white mother (in fact, some conservatives have criticized this family for not being representative of Britain). In addition, the fact that children who speak more than 50 languages from schools near the host city participated as volunteer staff at the opening ceremony attracted attention. Thus, although the "multicultural story" was not at the forefront, the diversity of London was reflected throughout the opening ceremony, including the "arts program".

The opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games boldly discussed the origins of Brazil as a multicultural nation, including its negative history. Brazil has been a multiracial society, with a mixture of indigenous peoples, Portuguese settlers who settled in the 16th century during the Age of Discovery, and black people who were forcibly brought to the country from Africa as slaves, and it has also accepted immigrants from various countries, including Japan. This historical story of the arrival of immigrants was shown at the beginning of the "Artistic Program" of the opening ceremony, which was directed by film director Fernando Meirelles.

A performance by indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest with butterflies fluttering about, followed by Portuguese people arriving on a sailing ship, and a humorous depiction of a tense encounter between the two. Then, African slaves brought to work on the farm and immigrants who appeared to be traders from Syria and Lebanon marched. What caught my eye was that the people dressed as slaves were wearing "shackles" to prevent them from escaping, and this was a frank expression of the dishonorable history of the country.

So, was the next scene what Japanese viewers were expecting? Japanese-Brazilian women appeared in costumes with a Hinomaru (Japanese flag) design, captivating the audience with a beautiful dance. It was said to be a performance to express a wish for world peace, timed to the exact time of the Hiroshima atomic bombing 71 years ago. Currently, most of the approximately 1.3 million Japanese-Brazilians live in the state of São Paulo, and their presence in Rio de Janeiro is by no means large compared to other immigrants. It was a tasteful gesture by director Meirelles to Japan, the next host country of the Olympic Games.

This "Arts Program" included not only the country's history of immigration, but also a more universal message to the world. Images of humans constantly engaged in hostility and conflict were presented, and a female singer called for an end to the fighting, leading 1,500 colorful dancers representing various races and ethnicities to perform a magnificent dance that symbolized harmony. Problems such as last-minute budget cuts were reported for the Rio de Janeiro Games, but the "Arts Program," which appealed for coexistence beyond race and ethnicity in a way that was easy for anyone around the world to understand, no doubt attracted many people.

So, what kind of story will be told to the world in the "arts program" of the Tokyo Games approaching next year? Kyogen performer Nomura Mansai, who has been appointed as the general director of the production, has set "compassion and rebirth" as the theme that will run through the four ceremonies, including the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and has spoken of his desire to create a production that is "simple and rich in the spirit of harmony, worthy of the name of the Reconstruction Olympics." We can expect a ceremony that will fully demonstrate the charm of Japan's unique performing arts and cultural arts, while also being considerate of the disaster-stricken areas.

In addition, it is hoped that Japan will proactively send out messages about how it will deal with diversity within its society. From overseas, Japan is often seen as a "monoethnic" country, the polar opposite of multicultural nations such as Australia, the UK, and Brazil. However, in reality, Japanese society is steadily becoming more multicultural.

For example, the other day (January 2019), in Tokyo twenty three Of the new adults who celebrated their coming-of-age ceremonies in the ward, approximately 8 To people 1 People They were from foreign countries. Looking only at Shinjuku Ward, where the Olympic Stadium where the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be held, foreigners make up nearly half of the new adults. Shinjuku Ward is one of the many municipalities that have adopted multicultural coexistence as a policy. We must not forget that there is also an indigenous people called the Ainu in Japan. Furthermore, Sibuya Ward, where the National Yoyogi Stadium, one of the venues, is located, is known for its pioneering efforts in Japan regarding LGBT people.

Given this reality, the Tokyo Games could be a valuable opportunity for the people of Japan to become aware of the "various diversities" in Japanese society and share the significance and value of coexistence with people around the world. If it can be an opportunity to seriously consider how we can create a new "story of multicultural coexistence," it could also become a meaningful legacy.

As mentioned above, this column has focused on diversity and coexistence, but the "Arts Program" contains a variety of messages. The global environment was also an important theme in the "Arts Program" of the Rio de Janeiro Games mentioned above. In fact, the Olympics was originally both a "festival of sports" and a "festival of culture." In addition to the sporting events, we encourage you to pay attention to the "Arts Program," a cultural event unique to the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

(Published in 2019)