Tokyo Olympics Torch Relay Begins at J-Village in Fukushima

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games torch relay began at J-Village in Fukushima Prefecture on March 25, 2021, a deliberate symbolic choice by the government to showcase Fukushima's recovery ahead of the Games (delayed a year by COVID-19). PM Yoshihide Suga and IOC President Thomas Bach attended. The relay through Fukushima municipalities was designed to counter perceptions of ongoing danger; however, some athletes declined to compete in events held in Fukushima due to radiation concerns. The baseball and softball events were held in Fukushima City, and additional events took place at the J-Village facility, itself a former emergency response hub during the nuclear crisis.