Tokyo ceremony ignites Asian Games torch ahead of Aichi relay launch
A flame-lighting ceremony was held at Tokyo's National Stadium, where sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu lit the torch that will begin the Asian Games relay.
Tokyo hosted a torch-lighting ceremony at the National Stadium, known as MUFG Stadium, marking the start of the Asian Games relay. Sprinter Yoshihide Kiryu, a 2016 Rio Olympic silver medalist, ignited the torch from a cauldron that previously served the 1958 Asian Games and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Attendees included Hideaki Omura, governor of Aichi Prefecture, and Seiko Hashimoto, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee.
A second ceremony is planned for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and the combined flames will be brought to Nagoya, where Saori Yoshida will carry the torch first. The relay will travel across Aichi until the games open on Sept. 19 and run through Oct. 4, with events staged in Nagoya and other cities across several prefectures.
Why it matters
The ceremony signals the start of the Asian Games, a major regional sporting event that promotes unity and draws international attention.
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