Tokyo unveils plan for socially distanced Olympic 2020 torch relay

Tokyo 2020 committee on Tuesday announced to go ahead with a nationwide, socially distanced torch
relay before the Olympics begins. This relay will begin 100 days prior
to the Olympics in Japan, which was postponed just two days before it was
going to commence earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It will start after the span of 12 months on March 25, 2021 with all the anti-virus
measures, which will be announced by the Olympic officials in coming
weeks.

Even though the COVID-19
infections has spiked recently, the Olympic officials believe the relay can be
held safely. Spectators will see around 10,000 runners carrying the torch
around Japan’s 47 prefectures.

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“We want to make sure that everyone’s health is secure —
the spectators, the torchbearers, the officials and the citizens in the local
areas,” said Tokyo Games Vice-Director General Yukihiko Nunomura.

“We want the runners to
smile and we want the spectators to smile as they welcome the torch. We want to
generate excitement so that people really feel that the Tokyo Olympics are
coming,” he added.

This comes after a poll by national broadcaster NHK revealed that most of the
Japanese are against the cancellation or delaying the games more to the
next year.

However, no COVID-19 safety guidelines for the Olympic
participants have been out yet.

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The Olympic flame had already arrived in Japan
from Greece when the relay was postponed and is currently on display in Tokyo. 

The torch relay of Japan will be available
online for people around the world, said Nunomura.