The official mascots for the 2020 Olympics to be held in Tokyo were formally introduced at an event in the capital city of Japan. The two mascots have been named as Miraitowa and Someity. Miraitowa, which is blue in colour, will be the mascot for the Olympic Games while Someity, the pink one, will represent the Paralympic games. Miraitowa word is derived from the combination of Japanese words for future and eternity while Someity’s name is borrowed from the word for a variety of Japan's iconic cherry trees and the English expression "so mighty”.

The mascots were earlier unveiled in February this year after being chosen by schoolchildren from a shortlist of three across mascot-mad Japan. Miraitowa has a "strong sense of justice and is very athletic," according to Olympic officials, adding that it also possesses magical powers that enable it "to move anywhere instantaneously”. Someity, on the other hand, is said to be "usually calm" but "gets very powerful when needed," organisers noted cryptically.

Mascots in Japan are known locally as "yuru-kyara" (laid-back characters) and they have a huge fondness in Japan.

The Tokyo Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXXII Olympiad, begin on July 24, 2020. It will end on August 09, 2020. The 2020 Summer Olympics will mark the return of games to Tokyo for the first time since 1964. This will be the fourth Olympics overall to be held in Japan after the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo and the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. Meanwhile, This will be the second of three consecutive Olympic Games to be held in East Asia.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 22, 2018 12:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).