Tokyo intends to use two spots for 2020 flame

THE Olympic flame will be housed in two locations during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Reports that cauldrons would be established both in the Olympic Stadium and on Tokyo’s waterfront near the Yume-no-Ohashi Bridge were confirmed at a meeting of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee at which representatives from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and central Government were in attendance.

Under the Olympic Charter, the flame must be in public view for the entirety of the Olympics.

In a release, Tokyo 2020 organizers said: “So that as many people as possible can view the flame, two separate cauldrons will be deployed.

“One will be set up inside the Olympic Stadium and used only during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies; another, to which the flame will be transferred after the Opening Ceremony, will be placed in Tokyo’s bustling waterfront area, allowing the wider public to view it and experience the spirit and excitement of the Games.

“The flame will only be displayed in one location at a time.”

The release added: “A number of locations, including Games venues, live sites and tourist attractions in Tokyo, were considered as the site for the cauldron outside of the Olympic Stadium.

“Tokyo 2020 took into account the IOC’s stipulation that the location should be a symbolic site which would allow as many people as possible to view the flame without having to purchase tickets for the Games.

“Considering all these factors, as well as security and operational issues, it was decided that the Ariake side of the Yume-no-Ohashi Bridge in the waterfront area would be an ideal location.

“It was agreed that areas in the vicinity of the cauldrons’ Games-time locations will be natural choices for their permanent locations after the Games.

“The Japan Sports Agency and the Japan Sport Council will manage the cauldron used during the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government taking responsibility for the other cauldron as the host city authority.”

The agreement was concluded with the Cabinet Secretariat, the Japan Sports Agency, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the Japanese Olympic Committee, the Japanese Paralympic Committee and the Japan Sport Council at a multi-party leaders’ meeting.

The Tokyo 2020 release went on to detail the reasons for having two cauldron sites.

“The flame that will be lit during the Opening Ceremony at the Olympic Stadium has to be kept alight until it is extinguished at the Closing Ceremony,” it read.