[앵커]
Ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, the torch departed from Fukushima yesterday (25th). In the meantime, more than 20 people have stepped down saying they will not send the torch. Now, the number of confirmed cases of Corona 19 in Japan is close to 2,000 again.
Correspondent Yoon Seol-young reports.
[기자]
The Olympic torch departed from J Village, Fukushima Prefecture.
[지금 성화대에 성화가 점화됐습니다.]
The torch travels across Japan for four months and arrives at the Tokyo National Stadium on July 23rd.
Concerned about the spread of Corona 19, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee did not invite ordinary citizens to the torch departure ceremony.
Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide also did not attend due to change of plans.
I’m waiting for the first torch relay runner.
As you can see, there are no ordinary citizens, and only the bodyguards and some authorized reporters were allowed access.
Citizens who cheered on the street afterwards also kept the gap as much as possible,
[성화 봉송 관계자 : (코로나) 대책으로서 마스크 착용과 밀집하지 않도록 (부탁드립니다.)]
Cheering was also minimized, such as no shouts.
[이토 유이/후쿠시마현 주민 : 다 같이 성화 릴레이 응원하자고 했었는데, 감염 대책도 있고 해서 적은 인원으로 응원하게 돼서 좀 쓸쓸합니다.]
However, the first runner, a former Japanese women’s national soccer player, canceled the torch relay and creaked from the beginning.
In fact, more than 20 people have given up sending the torch because of concerns about the spread of Corona 19.
In the middle, the flame of the torch peak suddenly extinguished, causing the attendant to re-ignite it with a lantern ember.
The corona19 infection situation in Japan is on the rise again.
On the previous day, nearly 2,000 new confirmed cases came out across the country.
In a poll last weekend, 67% of respondents still said they had to postpone or cancel the Olympics.
(Video Design: Yoo Jeong-bae)