Tokyo Olympic torch relay kicks off its 121-day journey amid COVID-19 worries

The torch relay for the Olympic Games which was postponed to 2021 due to the corona virus pandemic began its 121-day journey at the J-Village National Training Center in Futaba, Japan’s northeastern Fukushima prefecture on Thursday. Azusa Iwashimizu who is a member of Japan’s winning team at the 2011 Women’s World Cup, became the first torchbearer. Some 10,000 torchbearers will run across the country.
Organizers warned spectators to avoid crowding along the roadside, wear masks, and avoid shouting or cheering because of the fear of spreading COVID-19. The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are scheduled to start on 23 July 2021.