The Grand Start ceremony and first section of the relay on day one will not be open to the public as organisers reduce the number of participants and simplify the programme to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, they said in a statement on Monday.
Tokyo 2020 “is committed to ensuring the safety and security of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch relay by taking countermeasures to prevent the spread of any infections among spectators, torchbearers, staff, and other relay participants, as well as local residents”, the statement said.
Tokyo organisers have also said they want to decide before the start of the relay whether to allow foreign spectators into the country amid fears of a resurgence in coronavirus infections.
Underscoring the complications in preparing for the Games during the pandemic, Tokyo 2020 also said on Monday that test events for skateboarding and shooting have been postponed until May due to the impact on scheduling from the COVID-19 situation.
The J-Village was chosen as the starting point of the 121-day relay because it is a symbol of Japan’s reconstruction following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 and the Paralympics from August 24 to September 5
