Olympics: Japan team captain Kodaira to skip opening ceremony

Speed skater Nao Kodaira, who serves as Japan's team captain for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, will not attend the opening ceremony on Friday, her coach Masahiro Yuki said.But ski jumpers Sara Takanashi and Yuki Ito will march with 35 other Japanese athletes behind flagbearer Noriaki Kasai at Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium, according to an announcement made by the Japanese Olympic Committee on Friday.Team officials will also join the athletes, making it a total of 97 out of the 269-member delegation to attend the opening event. It is the largest Japanese delegation for a Winter Olympics hel…READ FULL ARTICLE