Seiko Hashimoto, the head of the Games’ organising committee, said the start of the Olympic flame’s journey was a sign of hope. Azusa Iwashimizu carries the Olympic Torch as a guard holds a sign about Covid-19 precautions, during the torch relay. Children wearing face masks hold fans as they wait along the route of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic torch relay, during the coronavirus pandemic. Photograph: Issei Kato/Reuters“We are fully aware that there still are people with anxieties around the Tokyo Olympic games,” Tokyo 2020’s chief executive, Toshiro Muto, said. The opening ceremony - originally planned for thousands of fans as a celebration of Japan’s recovery from the 2011 disaster – was closed to the public.

Source: The Guardian March 25, 2021 02:37 UTC