The martial art was one of five additional sports added to the Tokyo 2020 programme in 2016, along with baseball/softball, climbing, skateboarding and surfing.

As the birthplace of the sport, hosts Japan will be confident of success here across the eight categories which will be contested.

The men will battle in 67 kilograms, 75kg and over-75kg kumite while the women will contest 55kg, 61kg and over-61kg kumite.

Men's and women's kata will also be held.

"The hopes and dreams of millions of karate fans will finally become a reality," said World Karate Federation (WKF) President Antonio Espinós.

"The Olympic Games is a unique scenario like no other. 

"We are sure that we will show the many values of our sport as we make our Olympic debut in the next days."

Karate has not retained its place on the Olympic programme for Paris 2024 so its future after Tokyo 2020 is uncertain.

This means there will be extra pressure on the athletes - who may be thinking that this is their only opportunity of Olympic gold.

The WKF will be desperate to put on the best show possible to improve the sport's chances of future inclusion, with the martial art's debut at the Olympics coming a year later than planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Karate deserves a permanent place in the Olympic programme," Espinós said. 

"We took nothing for granted to prepare for this event, we worked hard to reach our Olympic debut to the best of our abilities, and we are sure that we will be able to show the importance that karate can have as a permanent sport in the Olympic programme."