Olympic medalists Shizuka Arakawa and Daisuke Takahashi were among the Japanese who served as torchbearers on Friday as the Olympic flame passed through Incheon in northwest South Korea.
Joining the figure skaters in the Olympic torch relay in the morning ahead of next month's Pyeongchang Games was Japan Sports Agency chief and retired swimmer Daichi Suzuki, who won the men's 100-meter backstroke at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Arakawa, who captured the women's figure skating gold at the Turin Games in 2006, said, "It was my first experience and I'm all the more excited about the Pyeongchang Olympics."
While enduring the cold weather, Arakawa gave the flame to fellow skater Takahashi, winner of the men's bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, after the two cut a pose together.
"The torch was heavy, but it was fun. I felt honored," Takahashi said.
Former mogul skier Aiko Uemura also took a turn in the relay in the afternoon.
The torch toured the southern and central parts of South Korea after arriving on Nov. 1. It will pass through Seoul on Saturday before continuing the journey northeast toward Pyeongchang.