The remains of at least 187 people have been retrieved from the site of Tokyo's new National Stadium, officials have revealed.
According to Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials, the bones were uncovered from the Shinjuku site before construction began on the National Stadium in December 2016. The venue will host the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as sporting events, for the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The existence of the skeletal remains was only revealed by officials last Friday. The bones were discovered during the Tokyo Metropolitan Archaeological Centre's investigation of the site between July 2013 and August 2015.
According to the Japan Times, representatives informed local media that a temple and its graveyard occupied the site between 1732 and 1919.
The bones are being kept at Tokyo's National Museum of Nature and Science.
The National Stadium is set to open on January 1, hosting Japan's football cup final. The construction of the 68,000-seat venue is believed to have cost US$1.26 billion.
