Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Arrival Ceremony Overview and Special Transport Aircraft Design Announced

On the 25th, the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee held a press conference in Tokyo to announce the ceremony outline for the Olympic Flame's arrival in Japan (March 2020) and the special transport aircraft "TOKYO 2020."

 

At the outset, Chairman Yoshiro Mori stated, "We received 530,000 applications for torchbearers, demonstrating tremendous interest. When the flame arrives in Japan next year, local children will welcome it. Starting March 26, the flame will travel nationwide carrying the hopes of many people. We will continue focusing on preparations to build excitement for the Games."

 

Comedians Mikiō Date and Takeshi Tomizawa of the comedy duo Sandwichman, serving as official ambassadors for the torch relay, rushed to the venue and announced details of the arrival ceremony.
The flame will be lit on March 12, 2020, in Ancient Olympia, Greece. After a relay within Greece, it will be handed over to the Japanese side at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens on the 19th. It will then be transported aboard the TOKYO 2020 aircraft (Boeing 787-8), arriving at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture on the 20th for the first ceremony, the arrival ceremony.
When Tomizawa quipped, "It's a chance you get maybe two or three times in your life," Date retorted, "Definitely just once," drawing laughter.
At the ceremony, local elementary school students formed a flower path to welcome the flame. The flame was removed from the lantern and lit the cauldron.

The special transport aircraft carrying the flame will be jointly operated by the Games' partners, All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL).
ANA President Yuji Hirako and JAL President Yuji Akasaka took the stage to unveil the transport aircraft design. The design reflects the Olympic Torch Relay concept, "Hope Lights Our Way." The flame, starting from the torch runner pictogram on the aircraft's nose, travels across an ochre-colored earth and connects to the relay emblem on the vertical stabilizer.
Both presidents stated, "We want to safely and reliably accomplish this mission," and "The aircraft featuring both companies' logos should delight aviation fans."
Upon seeing the model, Sandwich Man joked, "Isn't it a bit small?" and "ANA probably wanted a bit more blue...", but added, "It's really cool. I want to ride it!"