In Photos: Historic moments of the Paralympic Games

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- The Japanese delegation parades during the opening ceremony at the Yoyogi National Stadium, 15 days after the end of the Tokyo Olympics. Tokyo was the second city to host the Paralympics following the inaugural event in Rome in 1960. A total of 375 athletes from 21 nations and regions, including 53 from Japan, participated in the seven-day event. Japan won one gold, five silver and four bronze medals.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- Delegations from countries and regions across the world are seen at the opening ceremony.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- Athletes compete in table tennis. The Japanese pair of Yasunori Igari and Fujio Watanabe won the gold medal in the men's doubles.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- Athletes using wheelchairs compete in a race.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- Japan competes against the United States in wheelchair basketball.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- A Japanese dartchery athlete, left, competes on his way to taking the bronze medal in the sport.

1964 Tokyo Paralympics -- Then Crown Princess Michiko, center right, appears during the closing ceremony to present trophies.

2000 Sydney Paralympics -- 240 members of the Japanese delegation parade during the opening ceremony. A total of 121 nations and regions participated in the first Paralympic games in the southern hemisphere. Japan won 13 gold, 17 silver and 11 bronze medals. (Mainichi/Satoru Ishii)

2000 Sydney Paralympics -- Japan's Mayumi Narita shows off her gold medal she captured in women's swimming. Narita won a total of six gold medals at the games. (Mainichi/Satoru Ishii)

2000 Sydney Paralympics -- Japan's Kazu Hatanaka, left, who took the silver medal in the women's wheelchair marathon, and Wakako Tsuchida, who secured bronze in the event, celebrate with spectators. (Mainichi/Satoru Ishii)

2000 Sydney Paralympics -- Japan's Kazuya Maeba celebrates after winning the gold medal in the wheelchair 400 meters by setting a new world record. Maeba captured three medals at the games. (Mainichi/Satoru Ishii)

2000 Sydney Paralympics -- Japan's Satoshi Fujimoto celebrates on the podium after winning his second consecutive gold medal in the 66-kilogram division in men's judo for the visually impaired. (Mainichi/Satoru Ishii)

2004 Athens Paralympics -- The Japanese delegation parades during the opening ceremony. About 3,900 athletes from 136 nations and regions competed in 162 events in 19 sports. Japan won 17 gold, 15 silver and 20 bronze medals. (Mainichi/Kimitaka Takeichi)

2004 Athens Paralympics -- Japan's Mayumi Narita won a total of seven gold medals in women's swimming at the Athens Games. (Mainichi/Kimitaka Takeichi)

2004 Athens Paralympics -- Japan's Yuichi Takahashi, left, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's marathon for the visually impaired. (Mainichi/Kimitaka Takeichi)

2004 Athens Paralympics -- Japan's Wakako Tsuchida celebrates after clinching the gold medal in the women's wheelchair 5,000 meters. (Mainichi/Kimitaka Takeichi)

2004 Athens Paralympics -- Japan's Toshihiro Takada competes in men's wheelchair athletics. Takada won the gold medal in the wheelchair 400 meters, 5,000 meters and marathon.

2004 Athens Paralympics -- The Japanese pair of Shingo Kunieda, right, and Satoshi Saida compete on their way to winning the gold medal in the men's wheelchair tennis doubles.

2008 Beijing Paralympics -- The Japanese delegation parades during the opening ceremony. About 4,000 athletes from 147 nations and regions competed in 472 events in 20 sports. Japan won five gold, 14 silver and eight bronze medals. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

2008 Beijing Paralympics -- Japan's Tomoya Ito clenches his fist in celebration after winning the gold medal in the men's wheelchair 400 meters by setting a new Paralympic record. He also won the gold medal in the 800 meters. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

2008 Beijing Paralympics -- Japan's Shingo Kunieda competes on his way to capturing the gold medal in the men's singles wheelchair tennis. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

2008 Beijing Paralympics -- Japan's Masashi Ishii celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 1000-meter time trial in men's cycling. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

2008 Beijing Paralympics -- Japan's Takayuki Suzuki holds up a bouquet after winning the gold medal in the men's 50-meter breaststroke motor dysfunction class. (Mainichi/Yohei Koide)

2012 London Paralympics -- The Japanese delegation parades during the opening ceremony. About 4,300 athletes from 164 nations and regions competed in 503 events in 20 sports. Japan won five gold, five silver and six bronze medals. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)

2012 London Paralympics -- Japan's Shingo Kunieda shows off his gold medal that he won in the men's singles wheelchair tennis. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)

2012 London Paralympics – Members of the Japanese women's goalball team show off their gold medals. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)

2012 London Paralympics -- Japan's Kento Masaki celebrates after he secured the gold medal in the over-100-kilogram division in men's judo for the visually impaired. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)

2012 London Paralympics -- Japan's Rina Akiyama, left, holds a bouquet after she captured the gold medal in the women's 100-meter backstroke for the visually impaired. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)

2012 London Paralympics -- Japan's Yasuhiro Tanaka celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 100-meter breaststroke for those with intellectual disabilities. (Mainichi/Kenji Konoha)