Actor Mansai Nomura will orchestrate the opening and closing ceremonies for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was announced Monday.

Following an executive board meeting of the organizers in Fukushima Prefecture, Nomura was named as the chief executive creative director overseeing all four ceremonies.

Nomura is best known in Japan for his performances as an actor featuring in kyogen, a traditional form of comedic theater. The 52-year-old won the prize for the best actor at the prestigious Blue Ribbon Awards in 2001.