It is one year since the Paralympic Flame was lit in Tokyo ©Getty Images

International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons has admitted that he feels "forever in debt" to Japan for staging the Paralympic Games last year despite the pandemic.

Parsons also claimed that "the whole nation was proud" of hosting the Games which were postponed for a year because of COVID-19.

"I don't think we can speak about Tokyo without mentioning the pandemic and how Japan as a nation and Tokyo as a metropolitan area have committed themselves to, no matter what, delivering incredible Games," Parsons said.

"Even with the postponement, even without spectators, the Games were delivered with a technical excellence, so it was amazing to be there and be part of that.

"I think we are forever in debt with Japan as a nation because the vast majority of other nations would have just said, ‘Look, cancel the Games. We can't’, and they never even mentioned that."

No spectators were permitted for the Games which began a year ago today.

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons has insisted that Japan was proud to stage the Paralympics ©Getty Images
International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons has insisted that Japan was proud to stage the Paralympics ©Getty Images

"We, who were involved since the beginning could see the change in the attitudes of the Japanese society in general," Parsons said.

"Yes, there was some debate before because of the pandemic and the safety of the Japanese population.

"I do believe with countermeasures in place and the positive experience of the Olympics, when we were there for the Paralympics, Japan as a nation, they were really proud of not only delivering the Games but offering to 1.2 billion persons with disability worldwide that amazing platform to send their message of inclusion to the world.

"There was this feeling of overprotection of persons with disability, what we helped change, and the athletes, they led that change, is we provided the platform.

"Japanese society said, ‘Wow, I don't need to protect these guys. They need to be given an opportunity.'"

Parsons also suggested that accessibility on public transport had been improved as a result of Tokyo 2020.

"You can always improve even what is already a good number compared to the rest of the world," he added.

Earlier this month, Parsons raised concerns over accessibility on the transport system in Paris for the 2024 Olympics.

"The youngsters of Japan, they do perceive personal disability differently from the older generations in that country and as this generation will slowly become the decision makers of that nation, for sure this positive effect of Tokyo will remain and for the next years and generations to come, we will have an even more inclusive society than we have now," he said.