The Tokyo Aquatic Centre opening ceremony was due to take place on March 22 ©Getty Images

The grand opening ceremony of the Tokyo Aquatics Centre has been postponed, with a rescheduled event set to take place without members of the public.

The opening ceremony had been scheduled to take place on March 22.

The event was postponed as part of measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) announced.

“In addition, in the interest of public safety it has been decided that the opening ceremony, when rescheduled, will not be open to the public,” a TMG statement read.

The ceremony was originally set to be attended by members of the public, who had applied in advance to watch the event.

Tokyo 2020 announced earlier this month that the Aquatic Centre had been completed on schedule, meaning that all new permanent venues for this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games have been finished on time.

The Aquatics Centre is expected to have cost ¥56.7 billion (£403 million/$523 million/€471 million).

The 15,000-capacity venue will feature a 50 metres pool during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

A moveable wall ensures it can be converted into two 25m pools.

The Tokyo Aquatic Centre was the final permanent venue to be completed ©Getty Images
The Tokyo Aquatic Centre was the final permanent venue to be completed ©Getty Images

Artistic swimming, diving and swimming competitions will take place at the facility, which will be one of the landmark venues of the Games.

The venue is due to host a Tokyo 2020 test event on April 14 and 15.

The Aquatics Centre is expected to hold international and national swimming events following the Games.

The opening ceremony for the venue is the latest event to have been postponed or scaled down in the build-up to the Games, due to the coronavirus.

A Tokyo 2020 sport climbing test event took place last week without athletes, with members of staff taking their places at the Aomi Urban Sports Park.

Other test events to have been scaled back in a similar manner because of coronavirus include rugby sevens, wheelchair rugby and boccia.

The Tokyo 2020 Torch Relay is also expected to be scaled down.

Tokyo 2020 has insisted the Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place as planned.

The International Olympic Committee has also reinforced its commitment to holding the Games as scheduled.

More than 134,000 people have been infected by coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, with more than 690 of those coming from Japan.