"It will be a great opportunity to promote the existence of our new nation to the world," said Ghirmay Hadgu, EOC secretary general.
Eritrea gained its independence from Ethiopia in 1993 after 30 years of war. It has not yet been admitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because its sports programs are not sufficiently developed.
Hadgu arrived in Tokyo on Thursday with cyclists Bereket Zere and Yonasu Zakariasu. They were to leave for Atlanta on July 7, supported by funds raised by the Peace Boat, a Tokyo-based non-governmental organization.
The IOC is expected to make a final decision on the participation of the Eritrean cyclists at an executive board meeting before the opening of the Olympics.