The delivery company joins other organisations which have agreed to back the Relay, including Toyota and Coca-Cola.

"I am delighted that agreement was reached today with Japan Post Holdings for them to become a supporting partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay," said Yoshiro Mori, the President of Tokyo 2020.

"The Olympic Torch Relay will be held throughout Japan over 121 days. 

"We believe that the solid post office networks the Japan Post has throughout the country will help us connect with as many people as possible and ensure the success of the Torch Relay."

Other supporters of the Relay include All Nippon Airways, Japan Airways, the JXTG Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Nippon Life and the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.

"The Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 will soon be upon us," said Masatsugu Nagato, the President and chief executive of Japan Post Holdings.  

"They will express everyone's joy, enthusiasm and expectations for the future, and Japan Post Holdings' mission is to transmit these great sentiments from Tokyo to the whole of Japan. 

"As a supporting partner of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay, Japan Post will utilise its nationwide post office network to contribute, through postal services, to the realisation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay concept 'Hope Lights Our Way.'"

The Olympic Torch will be lit at Ancient Olympia on March 12 and will then spend a week in Greece.

It will arrive in Japan on March 20 and initially be put on display in the Tohoku region which was devastated by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

The flame will then visit all 47 prefectures of Japan, leading up to the Olympic Opening Ceremony on July 24.

Around 98 per cent of Japan's population are said to live within one hour's travel of the proposed route.