With just over a year and a half to go until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, some significant challenges remain for organizers, but 2018 proved to be a year in which progress was made and notable milestones were achieved.

The end of the year saw a flurry of meetings and announcements, both marking gains on some major issues and laying bare the hurdles the organizing committee and International Olympic Committee still have to clear.

Challenges aside, IOC President Thomas Bach struck an upbeat tone about the status of preparations on his first visit to Japan since 2016.