Eerie photos of the Tokyo Olympic torch relay show just how different this year's Games will be to pre-pandemic predecessors

Barnaby LaneMar 25, 2021, 23:54 IST

The Tokyo Olympics torch relay started on Thursday.Getty/Takashi Aoyama

The Tokyo Olympic torch relay began on Thursday in Fukushima.
Judging by photos, this year's relay will be very different to those of previous Games.
The public was banned from the opening ceremony, while few gathered on the roads to watch either.

The Tokyo Olympic torch relay began on Thursday with a quiet opening ceremony.

Getty/Kim Kyung-Hoon

The public was banned from the ceremony, while those in attendance had to socially distance from each other.

Getty/Pool

Japan's women's soccer team began the torch's 120-day journey, which will pass through 859 locations, including all 47 of Japan's prefectures.

Getty/Pool

The torch was then carried through the streets of Fukushima.

Reuters/Pool

Large parts of Fukushima are now derelict due to a disaster at the prefecture's nuclear plant in 2011.

Getty/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Very few fans stood at the sides of the streets to watch, with large crowds having been discouraged by the government.

Reuters/Issei Kato

It was a far cry from previous Games where thousands of fans flooded the streets to see the beginning of the Olympic Torch relay. Below is a scene from the relay before London 2012.

Getty/Matt Cardy

It was a far cry from previous Games where thousands of fans flooded the streets to see the beginning of the Olympic Torch relay. Below is a scene from the relay before London 2012.

And at Rio 2016.

Getty/Chris McGrath

There was some light entertainment at the end of first day's journey.

Getty/Philip Fong

Though again, crowds were limited.

Getty/Philip Fong

And there were strict COVID-19 protocols in place.

Retuers/Issei Kato

At London 2012, the end of the relay was celebrated with a music festival in front of an 80,000 strong crowd in Hyde Park.

Getty/AFP

At some stages of the relay's first day, people protested about the Olympics being held amid the pandemic.

Getty/Yuichi Yamazaki

A recent poll revealed that only 16% of Japanese people think the Olympics should definitely go ahead this summer.

Getty/Chung Sung-Jun

Whereas in Brazil, the occasion was more party than protest.

Getty/Mario Tama

And national pride swept across the country.

Getty/NurPhoto

By contrast the whole opening day of the Tokyo 2020 rally was eerie foreshadowing of what this summer's Games could look like with only limited fans in attendance.

Getty/Philip Fong

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Eerie photos of the Tokyo Olympic torch relay show just how different this year's Games will be to pre-pandemic predecessors

The Tokyo Olympic torch relay began on Thursday with a quiet opening ceremony.

The public was banned from the ceremony, while those in attendance had to socially distance from each other.

Japan's women's soccer team began the torch's 120-day journey, which will pass through 859 locations, including all 47 of Japan's prefectures.

The torch was then carried through the streets of Fukushima.

Large parts of Fukushima are now derelict due to a disaster at the prefecture's nuclear plant in 2011.

Very few fans stood at the sides of the streets to watch, with large crowds having been discouraged by the government.

It was a far cry from previous Games where thousands of fans flooded the streets to see the beginning of the Olympic Torch relay. Below is a scene from the relay before London 2012.

And at Rio 2016.

There was some light entertainment at the end of first day's journey.

Though again, crowds were limited.

And there were strict COVID-19 protocols in place.

At London 2012, the end of the relay was celebrated with a music festival in front of an 80,000 strong crowd in Hyde Park.

At some stages of the relay's first day, people protested about the Olympics being held amid the pandemic.

A recent poll revealed that only 16% of Japanese people think the Olympics should definitely go ahead this summer.

Whereas in Brazil, the occasion was more party than protest.

And national pride swept across the country.

By contrast the whole opening day of the Tokyo 2020 rally was eerie foreshadowing of what this summer's Games could look like with only limited fans in attendance.