Paralympic flames were lit in the 62 municipalities of Tokyo and merged into one earlier today.

The relay's segment in the capital was taken off public roads as daily COVID-19 cases continued to rise.

Yesterday, Japan topped 25,000 cases for the first time.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government confirmed today the seven-day rolling average of infections in the city had risen to 4,721.9 per day, up 13.6 per cent from the previous week.

In place of the format, around 700 able-bodied and disabled people are to be split into groups of three, with each participant carrying the torch for approximately 50 metres towards the National Stadium.

Flames for the Paralympics were ignited in municipalities in all of Japan's 47 prefectures and have been merged into one in Tokyo tonight.

The Paralympic Torch Relay was set to take place in Tokyo and three neighbouring prefectures - Chiba, Saitama and Shizuoka - where Paralympic venues are, but most segments were moved behind closed doors.

The Paralympic logo was set up at Odaiba Marine Park in the Tokyo Bay area today too.

A Heritage Flame Celebration was conducted at Stoke Mandeville in Britain, the birthplace of the Paralympic Movement in July 1948, yesterday.

The Paralympic Torch Relay has been held since Seoul 1988.

The Tokyo 2020 Paralympics are scheduled to start with the Opening Ceremony on August 24, closing on September 5.