• Two spectators take a selfie with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City in March. AP
    Two spectators take a selfie with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City in March. AP
  • A man wearing a Japanese flag-themed hat shows a towel with a Tokyo 2020 Olympics logo printed on while waiting in line to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
    A man wearing a Japanese flag-themed hat shows a towel with a Tokyo 2020 Olympics logo printed on while waiting in line to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
  • A worker operates an excavator near the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP
    A worker operates an excavator near the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP
  • Workers stand at the bottom of the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP
    Workers stand at the bottom of the Olympic rings at Tokyo's Odaiba district. AP
  • People take pictures of the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City. AP
    People take pictures of the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City. AP
  • Spectators pray as they gather at a ceremony to view the Olympic Flame. AP
    Spectators pray as they gather at a ceremony to view the Olympic Flame. AP
  • People gather to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City. AP
    People gather to view the Olympic Flame in Fukushima City. AP
  • A woman poses for a photo with the Olympic Flame. AP
    A woman poses for a photo with the Olympic Flame. AP
  • People take pictures with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
    People take pictures with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
  • The Olympic Flame burns during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
    The Olympic Flame burns during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan. AP
  • Spectators take pictures of the Olympic Flame. AP
    Spectators take pictures of the Olympic Flame. AP
  • The Olympic Flame burns as people wait in line. AP
    The Olympic Flame burns as people wait in line. AP

Other Sport

In pictures: Crowds gather to see Olympic Flame as Tokyo Games postponement meeting looms

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and IOC President Thomas Bach to hold a conference on Tuesday

Dominic Hart

March 24, 2020

  • English
  • Arabic

Crowds gathered to view the Olympic Flame in Tokyo on Tuesday hours before a meeting was scheduled to discuss whether to postpone the 2020 Games.

The Olympic Flame was on display during a ceremony in Fukushima City, a day before the relay was due to start - with no torch, no torchbearers, no public, and little ceremony.

Organisers said they would reassess the schedule given the "worsening" Covid-19 situation in Japan, and were planning to display the flame in a lantern.

But that didn't stop hundreds of people, many of them in masks, queuing for pictures and selfies.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach were due to hold a telephone conference on Tuesday amid growing calls for the Tokyo games to be postponed.

The British Olympic Association were expected to add their voice on Tuesday to the bodies asking for a delay.

Coronavirus