Its addition, in the category of "Payment Systems", brings the total number of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic partners to 71.

By becoming a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Gold Partner, the highest tier of the domestic sponsorship programme, it is claimed Visa will provide valuable support to the successful delivery of the Games. 

Visa was the first global sponsor of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and has been a sponsor of the Paralympic Games since 2002.

It is the official payment service and only card accepted at all Paralympic Games venues to purchase Paralympic tickets, official Games merchandise, or food and beverages in venues.

"We are delighted to welcome Visa, a Worldwide Paralympic Partner, as a Gold Partner of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games," Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirō Mori said.

"Visa is the International Paralympic Committee’s longest-serving partner having first come on board in 2002.

"The company has also supported athletes aiming to excel at the Paralympic Games via its Team Visa programme.

"I am confident they will provide huge support for the Tokyo 2020 Games and generate further enthusiasm for the Paralympic Movement."

Stephen Karpin, representative director and country manager of Visa Worldwide Japan Co Ltd, added: "It is a great honour to be a part of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games as a Gold Partner.

"Visa embraces a vision of 'a place where everyone is accepted everywhere, that's where we want to be', and the importance of promoting of inclusion and diversity guides our business.

"As a Gold Partner, we are proud to provide our full support to the athletes and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, help create a welcoming environment and raise awareness of unity in diversity among the citizens of the world."

Visa retains exclusive marketing and promotional rights within the IPC’s "Payment Services" category and activation opportunities for financial institution clients and merchants throughout the world.

It is said to provide the global community with greater access and choice by engaging in dialogue, raising awareness of its existing products and services, developing new technologies specifically for the needs of persons with an impairment, extending issuance and creating an affinity with its global network of financial institution clients.

Sponsorship of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics is divided into two categories - the IPC’s sponsorship programme and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic sponsorship programme.

Worldwide Paralympic Partners are granted the right to use the designation of the Paralympic Games and their emblem, but not including those of Tokyo 2020.

The three remaining categories are designated for domestic sponsors.

The highest domestic tier comprises Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Gold Partners, while the second tier consists of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic official partners and the third tier is made up of Tokyo 2020 Paralympic official supporters.