To be chosen to participate in the torch Relay for the Games is a great pride. Japanese Kagawa Shigeko was one of the responsible people to perform this task in Tokyo, and also became one of the oldest persons in doing so. Kagawa is 109 years old, and had to be aided by an assistant, since she only moves on a wheelchair, although she was strong enough to receive and to pass on the torch standing.  A big role model that was followed by a small group of people in the streets of Nara prefecture, Kagawa’s hometown.

The relay has had several milestones for its annals, since at 74 years old, and surviving cancer in three occasions, Katou Tamotu was part of his second Torch Relay.  55 years ago, he was also a torchbearer in the Tokyo 1964 Torch Relay.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay started with the Olympic Flame ignition by the sun rays in Olympia, Greece, on March 12th, 2020, before it was transported by the special airplane “Tokyo 2020 Go” to Miyagi prefecture, in Japan. The Torch Relay will extend over to the Opening Ceremony on July 23rd.