NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), who previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, today released a video celebrating the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, which began today with the Opening Ceremony. Hagerty also co-sponsored a resolution, which passed the Senate yesterday unanimously, commemorating the past success of the United States Olympic and Paralympic teams and showing support for Team USA in the Tokyo Games.
*Click the photo above or here to watch*
Transcript
It’s finally here! America has waited. Japan has waited. The world has waited. And the Games have now finally arrived.
I want to send warm congratulations and well wishes to all of our incredible athletes, particularly those from Tennessee, who are in Japan to kick off and compete in the 2020 Summer Olympics.
As we all know too well, the past year has been a difficult one. So much around us has changed in ways previously unthinkable. Yet, amid such turmoil, we emerge now ready to engage in this historic and beautiful ritual that represents hopefully a return to normalcy that the global pandemic sought to steal from us. The skill, determination, poise, and focus that those competing will display on the world stage over the next several weeks serves as an inspiration to us all.
I am so touched to watch Tokyo, a city in which my family resided when I served as U.S. Ambassador to Japan, host the Olympics for a second time.
It is, of course, not lost on us that 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that forever changed and took the lives of so many throughout Japan. The resilience of the Japanese people that has made hosting this event now possible, is a powerful symbol of the incredible strength of the human spirit. Japan is often called “The Land of the Rising Sun,” and I hope these games demonstrate to the world Japan’s rich culture and potential. Japan truly has an opportunity to show the world how to stand as beacon of hope in one of the toughest regions in the world.
So to all of our amazing American athletes— know that back here at home: we are rooting for you, we are praying for you, and we can’t wait to see all of the incredible new feats of athleticism you achieve. God Bless you all, and GO TEAM USA! Bring home the Gold!