<h2>Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998</h2>
<p>The XVIII Olympic Winter Games Nagano 1998 were the last Games in the 20th century. They included 2,339&nbsp;athletes (of whom 787 women) coming from 72 countries. 10,376 media members covered the Games. 2,568 were&nbsp;print media members, almost as many as at Lillehammer 1994 (2,578). There were 5,737 international broadcast&nbsp;media members and as many as 2,053 Japanese broadcast media members.&nbsp;Japanese emperor Akihito opened the Games and former figure skating world champion and 1992 Olympic silver medallist from Albertville Midori&nbsp;Ito lit the Olmypic flame. Nordic combined skier Kenji Ogiwara took the Olympic Oath on behalf of the athletes.</p>
<p>Flag bearers: At the Opening Ceremony: Janica Kostelić<br />&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; At the Closing Ceremony: Vedran Pavlek</p>