The Japanese delegation for the upcoming Olympic Games in Athens was officially launched with a ceremony Saturday.
About 380 of the 513 members named to the delegation attended the ceremony held at a Tokyo hotel, with Crown Prince Naruhito present as a guest. The delegation, Japan's biggest ever for an Olympics, comprises 312 athletes and 201 officials.
For the first time in history, there are more female athletes (171) than male (141) on a Japanese Olympic team. Five-time world champion wrestler Kyoko Hamaguchi will serve as the flag bearer for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Aug. 13-29 Games and defending judo champion Kosei Inoue has been named the captain of the national team.