Tokyo 2020: Face recognition to be used

“This latest technology will enable strict identification of accredited people compared with relying solely on the eyes of security staff, and also enables swift entry to venues which will be necessary in the intense heat of summer."

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will make history as the first to feature face recognition technology. The system will be used to verify the identity of athletes, officials, other staff members and media representatives at Tokyo 2020.

NEC Corporation, a Gold Partner, will provide the face recognition system. The facial images of every accredited person will be collected beforehand and stored in a database; these will be used to verify identities at accreditation check points.

Face recognition technology will drastically increase security levels at the Tokyo 2020 Games, precluding spoofing, forgery and the use of lost or stolen accreditations. It will improve overall comfort and convenience, with verification being processed automatically and instantaneously, helping to ensure a safe and secure Games.

Tokyo 2020 Executive Director of Security Tsuyoshi Iwashita commented, “The key to Games security is to prevent unauthorised people or items from entering venues. Tokyo 2020 will utilise an automated face recognition system for accredited people, a first for an Olympic or Paralympic Games, to prevent unauthorised access.

“This latest technology will enable strict identification of accredited people compared with relying solely on the eyes of security staff, and also enables swift entry to venues which will be necessary in the intense heat of summer. I hope this will ensure a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games and help athletes perform at their best.”

NEC Corporation Senior Vice President Masaaki Suganuma added, “With our extensive experience and knowledge of biometric identification technologies, NEC is well placed to help ensure the Tokyo 2020 Games can be operated smoothly, safely and securely.”