The head of the International Rowing Federation has backed the newly opened 2020 Tokyo Olympic venue slated to provide a world-class test for athletes at next year's Summer Games.

Officially opened on Sunday with a demonstration amid blustery winds, the Sea Forest Waterway will also host sprint canoeing and the Paralympic Games.

"Of course, the wind, if it's too strong, might be an issue," said world rowing chief Jean-Christophe Rolland, who won a gold medal for France at the 2000 Olympics.

"But it's the fourth time I came here in Tokyo, and this is the first time I've seen it so strong," he noted. "On an eight-day program, I hope that we will find easily a time when the wind is not too strong and that we can have a good competition."

Rolland praised Tokyo organizers for completing the venue on schedule.

"Everything has been on track and on time, and I am very pleased more than one year before the Olympic Games to be in such a position without any major issues," he told reporters.

"There are still some little things to improve, but we can be relieved we will have a good course for the Olympic Games."

The Sea Forest Waterway is one of just eight  new permanent venues being constructed for Tokyo 2020, in addition to the 25 already in existence and 10 temporary venues out of a total of 43.

The 2,300-meter (2,500-yard) course was built along canals in Tokyo Bay, next to an old landfill site that has been transformed into a forest for the Olympics Games.

Early setbacks

Its grandstand seats around 2,000, and an additional 16,000 spectators will be able to follow the action from temporary seating and standing areas, officials said.

Despite rowers and canoeists taking a beating from the heavy winds, Rolland declared himself happy.

"We have to cope with the local situation," he said. "Our intention is not to make a venue perfect (but) to make a venue fair for the athletes, the best at an acceptable cost."

The new archery venue was completed in April as Tokyo organizers continue to deliver after a series of early setbacks.

They opened their first permanent venue, the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza, which will host badminton and modern pentathlon fencing in 2017, after a disastrous Olympic stadium rollout.

Also, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe tore up the blueprints for the new national stadium in 2015 after public outcry over its $2 billion price tag.

Designs for the official logo were subsequently scrapped due to accusations of plagiarism before Olympic organizers admitted that prolonged summer rains had brought high levels of bacteria to a venue earmarked for triathlon and open water swimming.

Tokyo officials have since been looking for ways to reduce their 1.35 trillion yen ($12 billion) budget. However, some sports bodies are concerned that cost-cutting could adversely affect the staging of the event.