This long exposure picture shows the lit Olympic rings at the waterfront of Odaiba in Tokyo on Dec 1, 2020. (PHILIP FONG / AFP)

TOKYO - Tokyo Metropolitan Government announced on Thursday that upcoming exhibitions of the Tokyo Olympics torch around the Japanese capital have been postponed “to reduce the flow of people and the further spread of COVID-19.”

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The torch had been on display in certain municipalities at the end of last year and the exhibitions were due to restart on Thursday but as a state of emergency for Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures will begin on Friday, the government chose to postpone all displays until the end of the month.