The opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, which began in the National Stadium "the Bird's Nest" late Friday, has drawn enthusiastic applause from Japanese media.

Major Japanese newspapers such as the Yomiuri Shimbun, the Mainichi Shimbun, the Tokyo Shimbun and Nihon Keizai Shimbun published the news of the grand event on the front pages of their evening versions.

The state broadcaster NHK (Nihon Hoso Kyokai) televised live the whole ceremony.

Kyodo News and Jiji press, the two leading Japanese news agencies, have been continuously updating news items about the event and releasing striking pictures of the performances at the ceremony.

"Tonight, the Bird's Nest has turned into a red sea of joy with smiling faces everywhere", said an article entitled "The Shared Dream," which was carried in the evening version of the Mainichi Shimbun.

To host the Olympics, which embodies the one-century dream of the Chinese people, will speed up China's development towards maturity, said an article released by Jiji press.

It added that the Beijing Olympics coincides with the 30th anniversary of China's reform and opening up, and is likely to mark a watershed in China's drive for development.

Kyodo News said in an article that the Beijing Olympics, which boasts an unprecedented number of participating countries and athletes, helps China build up a great prestige in the international community and exhibits its fine qualities.

The gorgeous performance at the opening ceremony, like a long picture scroll, displayed China's long history and enchanted over 90,000 spectators, it said.

The NHK said in its commentary that the brilliant performances at the opening ceremony, characterized by distinguishing Chinese style, are a nice combination of tradition and modernity.

Source:Xinhua