The organising committee on Tuesday announced that Japan's women soccer team will begin the domestic leg of the torch relay for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
According to NHK World, the organisers had asked 21 players from the Japanese soccer side along with the head coach Norio Sasiki to act as the first torch runners.
The Olympic torch relay will begin from the J-Village soccer training facility in Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan on March 26 next year.
The announcement was made in Tokyo in the presence of forward Kozue Ando, defender Azusa Iwashimizu and goalkeeper Ayumi Kaihorias.
Head coach Norio Sasiki was also present at the ceremony.