Four years after Japan's best-ever performance in the Summer Olympics — a 37-medal effort in Athens — the nation is gearing up for 2008's biggest sporting extravaganza in style.

On Monday evening at the Prince Park Tower hotel in Tokyo, the Japan Olympic Committee held its official sendoff reception for the 2008 Japan Olympic squad.

Of this year's 576-member official delegation (coaches, athletes, officials, support staff), 359 attended the event. An estimated 2,000 guests were there, including Crown Prince Naruhito, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai.