Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Olympic Flame for Tokyo 2020 touched down in Japan early on Friday to start its 121-day Olympic torch relay journey around the country, bringing a message of peace and hope to the world.

The flame was transported by a special aircraft “Tokyo 2020 Go” from Athens, Greece, and arrived at Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi Prefecture shortly before 10am local time.

The flame was originally lit in front of the ruins of the Temple of Hera in Ancient Olympia on 12 March, and after its week-long stay in Greece was handed over to Tokyo at a ceremony at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens.

As the “Tokyo 2020 Go” aircraft descended, Tokyo 2020 officials waited in eager anticipation to welcome the arrival of the Olympic Flame in Japan soil.

When the aircraft doors finally opened, triple judo gold medallist NOMURA Tadahiro and triple wrestling gold medallist YOSHIDA Saori held the lantern aloft before it was handed to President of Tokyo 2020 MORI Yoshiro, who was accompanied by Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) President YAMASHITA Yasuhiro.

A symphony orchestra from the JASDF played a live rendition of the “Tokyo Olympic March” - symbolically the same music used at the opening ceremony of Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games.