As Tokyo celebrated the start of the one-year countdown to the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games with various events last week, traffic control tests on an unprecedented scale were held to forestall anticipated traffic jams on the metropolitan expressway system, which will serve as the main artery for transporting athletes and Olympic officials.

Along with measures to shield athletes and spectators from Tokyo's scorching summer heat, steps to curb the likely traffic jams will be key to the success and smooth operation of the games — the preparation for which is well on course a year from the opening ceremony, including construction of event venues as well as recruiting volunteers to assist visitors.

The New National Stadium — whose initial design was withdrawn due to fears of cost overruns, raising concerns over the narrow window for construction — is now about 90 percent finished and on track to be completed in November. The highly competitive initial sale of tickets is an indication of strong public interest in the first Summer Games to be held in Japan since 1964. One problem that has surfaced is the shortage of accommodations for spectators from outside Tokyo who managed to secure tickets but are finding it hard to reserve hotel rooms in and around the capital — as organizers of the games and officials have already reserved hotel space in massive numbers. Prices of rooms in many hotels have reportedly spiked to double or triple their usual rates.