Tokyo Olympic torch relay begins as sign of hope in Japan amid Covid curbs

Torchbearers ran through sparsely populated streets in Fukushima as large crowds and cheering were discouraged due to the pandemic * Coronavirus – latest updates * See all our coronavirus coverage The official countdown to the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games has begun as the first group of runners carried the Olympic torch through Fukushima, in the first test of measures that organisers insist will ensure a “safe and secure” event in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. After a brief opening ceremony (which was closed to the public) on a football pitch inside the J-Village training complex, members of the Japan women’s football team began the torch’s 120-day journey through 859 locations, culminating in the opening ceremony at the Olympic stadium on 23 July. Continue reading...
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