Tokyo Olympic torch relay providing cultural showcase amid pandemic

"Due to the lack of public support for the games, the committee considers the 121-day relay a crucial opportunity to convince Japan that it is prepared to host the games even during a worldwide public health crisis."

So, we do not care about nor want the Olympics to go on because of COVID and what it has done to our lives, however the Japanese Government & the Olympic Committee does not care what we think and want so will ram this event into our lives anyway?

This is sick.

Hula dancing and horse torture by making horses pull up to 1000kg of steel over 2 little hills on a 200m course. Great cultural experiences

”Ah, shoganai.” - These people depicted look content with this ‘little bit of happiness’ shuffling by.

Hey wait!!! What happen to social distancing?!? Oh, that is right..this is Japan!

Well, it goes only to 47 Prefectures. Should go to their surrounding islands esp Hashima Island.

This is sick.

you mean, “we will be sick”.

I genuinely feel very sorry for the Japanese people, who are putting enormous efforts into showcasing every aspect of their culture in every region of the tour, if it all ends badly for them at the last-minute with a "Sorry folks, show cancelled" .

To think that all of this has been caused by their biggest disruptive neighbour, from which this malificent plague emanated too, carefully choreographed by the disgraceful CCP itself of course..... I'm guessing the feelings of resentment towards them can only grow.

Who will be watching this? Has anyone here ever watched any of the torch relay in any other country, other than maybe the start and the finish?

Give the J people a break they have thrown the crown jewels at this three week sporting event, former PM Abe Shinzo even was persuaded to appear as Super Mario.

Prime Minister Abe visits Rio de Janeiro

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYlnmqDzRbo

Minister Abe san is disgusting.

Due to the lack of public support for the games, the committee considers the 121-day relay a crucial opportunity to convince Japan that it is prepared to host the games even during a worldwide public health crisis.

Strange that the government is now encouraging people to crowd together when hundreds of thousands of people have lost their jobs for the previous government’s not to!

The pandemic has impacted a lot of countries and the last thing on minds of many people is not watching people run about with a flaming torch.

This is all too sad. I feel bad for the whole country. We will get their propaganda games.

The photo perfectly illustrates Japanese culture - everyone with their selfie cams and masks looking at next to nothing.

Unless the torch is running through your local town and there is some kind of event to mark its presence . . . . no one is watching. The torch running is only a domestic afair.

Even in previous events, the torch running was little more than a sideline and occasionally would get mentioned as an internaltional news slot filler on a slow day, and even then only when it was getting lit at Mt Olympia.

"The flame, lit in Greece last year before the one-year postponement of the games..."

Ummm... it's already gone out quite a few times while here in Japan, including one company, paid to keep it going, let it go out (and didn't admit it until later). Heck, on the news the other day it went out while one runner was holding it. So, no, the flame that was lit long ago went out already.

https://soranews24.com/2021/03/26/tokyo-olympic-torch-flame-goes-out-twice-on-first-ay-of-relay-filling-commenters-with-dread/

"Who will be watching this? Has anyone here ever watched any of the torch relay in any other country, other than maybe the start and the finish?"

I watched the torch relay in Ventura County, CA before the 1984 LA Olympics.

"Cultural showcase"???

It's more like an example of what NOT to do during a global pandemic.

The torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics...is showcasing Japan's culture, history and landscapes

Showcasing to whom? Only those people currently living in the areas through which the torch passes.

Literally nobody else in the world gives a monkey's about this.

Is anyone else getting a bit sick of this desperate Pravda-esque phrasing of this boondoggle into a triumphant parade of glory?