During the Parade of Nations section of the 1998 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, athletes from each country participating in the Olympics paraded in the arena. The flag from each team was borne by a sportsperson from that country chosen either by the National Olympic Committee or by the athletes themselves to represent their country. Due the rules stipulated by the Olympic Charter (and political issues between China and Chinese Taipei along the two Koreas) at the time the Organizing Committee opted for the option of the protocol order in English in as a sign of goodwill associated with the concept applied by the Organizing Committee, instead of host nation's language, Japanese. Greece led the parade, followed by Andorra. Had the parade followed the Japanese characters, Greece would have been followed by Iceland, and Russian Federation would have been the penultimate country before Japan. One sumo wrestler and one yukiko (lit. snow children) which bears a country name sign marched before each delegation. Some of famous sumo wrestlers such as Takanonami and Wakanohana accompanied the teams. The yukikos also took part in several other segments in the ceremony.

Order Nation Japanese Roman transliteration Flag bearer Sport 1 ギリシャ Girisha Vasilios Dimitriadis Alpine skiing 2 アンドラ Andora Victor Gómez Alpine skiing 3 アルゼンチン Aruzenchin Carola Calello Alpine skiing 4 アルメニア Arumenia Alla Mikayelyan Cross-country skiing 5 オーストラリア Ōsutoraria Richard Nizielski Short track speed skating 6 オーストリア Ōsutoria Emese Hunyady Speed skating 7 アゼルバイジャン Azerubaijan Yuliya Vorobyova Figure skating 8 ベラルーシ Berarūshi Aleksandr Popov Biathlon 9 ベルギー Berugī Conrad Alleblas Chef de Mission 10 バミューダ Bamyūda John Hoskins Chef de Mission 11 ボスニア・ヘルツェゴビナ Bosunia Herutsuegobina Mario Franjić Bobsleigh 12 ブラジル Burajiru Marcelo Apovian Alpine skiing 13 ブルガリア Burugaria Lyubomir Popov Alpine skiing 14 カナダ Kanada Jean-Luc Brassard Freestyle skiing 15 チリ Chiri Duncan Grob Alpine skiing 16 中華人民共和国 Chūka Jinmin Kyōwakoku Zhao Hongbo Figure skating 17 クロアチア Kuroachia Janica Kostelić Alpine skiing 18 キプロス Kipurosu Andreas Vasili Alpine skiing 19 チェコ Cheko Lubomír Buchta Cross-country skiing 20 デンマーク Denmāku Helena Blach Lavrsen Curling 21 エストニア Esutonia Kalju Ojaste Biathlon 22 フィンランド Finrando Janne Ahonen Ski jumping 23 マケドニア旧ユーゴスラビア共和国 Makedonia Kyū-Yūgosurabia Kyōwakoku Gjoko Dineski Cross-country skiing 24 フランス Furansu Philippe Candeloro Figure skating 25 グルジア Gurujia Sofia Akhmeteli Alpine skiing 26 ドイツ Doitsu Jochen Behle Cross-country skiing 27 イギリス Igirisu Mike Dixon Biathlon 28 ハンガリー Hangarī Krisztina Egyed Speed skating 29 アイスランド Aisurando Theódóra Mathiesen Alpine skiing 30 インド Indo Shiva Keshavan Luge 31 イラン Iran Hassan Shemshaki Alpine skiing 32 アイルランド Airurando Terry McHugh Bobsleigh 33 イスラエル Isuraeru Michael Shmerkin Figure skating 34 イタリア Itaria Gerda Weissensteiner Luge 35 ジャマイカ Jamaika Ricky McIntosh Bobsleigh 36 カザフスタン Kazafusutan Vladimir Smirnov Cross-country skiing 37 ケニア Kenia Philip Boit Cross-country skiing 38 大韓民国 Daikan Minkoku Hur Seung-Wook Alpine skiing 39 キルギスタン Kirugisutan Aleksandr Tropnikov Biathlon 40 ラトビア Ratobia Sandis Prūsis Bobsleigh 41 リヒテンシュタイン Rihitenshutain Tamara Schädler Alpine skiing 42 リトアニア Ritoania Povilas Vanagas Figure skating 43 ルクセンブルク Rukusenburuku Patrick Schmit Figure skating 44 モルドバ Morudoba Ion Bucsa Biathlon 45 モナコ Monako Gilbert Bessi Bobsleigh 46 モンゴル Mongoru Boldyn Sansarbileg Short track speed skating 47 オランダ Oranda Carla Zijlstra Speed skating 48 ニュージーランド Nyūjīrando Peter Henry Bobsleigh 49 ノルウェー Noruwē Espen Bredesen Ski jumping 50 朝鮮民主主義人民共和国 Chōsen Minshushugi Jinmin Kyōwakoku Yun Chol Short track speed skating 51 ポーランド Pōrando Jan Ziemianin Biathlon 52 ポルトガル Porutogaru Mafalda Pereira Freestyle skiing 53 プエルトリコ Puertoriko José Ferrer Bobsleigh 54 ルーマニア Rūmania Mihaela Dascălu Speed skating 55 ロシア Roshia Aleksey Prokurorov Cross-country skiing 56 スロバキア Surobakia Ivan Bátory Cross-country skiing 57 スロベニア Surobenia Primož Peterka Ski jumping 58 南アフリカ Minami-Afurika Shirene Human Figure skating 59 スペイン Supein Juan Jesús Gutiérrez Cross-country skiing 60 スウェーデン Suwēden Torgny Mogren Cross-country skiing 61 スイス Suisu Guido Acklin Bobsleigh 62 チャイニーズ・タイペイ Chainīzu Taipei Sun Kuang-Ming Bobsleigh 63 トリニダード・トバゴ Torinidādo Tobago Curtis Harry Bobsleigh 64 トルコ Toruko Arif Alaftargil Alpine skiing 65 ウクライナ Ukuraina Andriy Deryzemlya Biathlon 66 アメリカ合衆国 Amerika Gasshūkoku Eric Flaim Short track speed skating 67 ウルグアイ Uruguai Gabriel Hottegindre Alpine skiing 68 ウズベキスタン Uzubekisutan Komil Urunbayev Alpine skiing 69 ベネズエラ Benezuera Iginia Boccalandro Luge 70 バージン諸島 Bājin-Shotō Paul Zar Bobsleigh 71 ユーゴスラビア Yūgosurabia Marko Đorđević Alpine skiing 72 日本 Nippon Hiroyasu Shimizu Speed skating

References

External links Countries - Sports-Reference.com おすもうさんと子供が先導 長野五輪 入場行進 ギリシャ(貴ノ浪)～フランス(琴龍) - YouTube 1998長野五輪 開会式（2）入場行進 Athletes March at Olympic Opening Ceremony - YouTube 1998 Olympics Opening Ceremony In Nagano Part 6 List of sumo wrestlers who accompanied the delegations