Tokyo 2020 has today launched the lottery for the first phase of Olympic Games ticket sales for residents of Japan ©Tokyo 2020

Tokyo 2020 has today launched the lottery for the first phase of Olympic Games ticket sales for residents of Japan, but the online application process was slowed due to a increase in traffic to the official website.

As reported by Kyodo News, the ticketing website struggled from the moment it opened to online applications.

A message on the website warned that it is currently experiencing a very high volume of visitors and that the number of users is extremely high with lengthy estimated waiting times. 

The first stage of ticket sales is due to continue until May 28 with results announced on June 20, a week after a new law prohibiting ticket scalping goes into effect.

Those who are not lucky come June will still be able to request tickets during the first-come, first-served phase, scheduled to commence in Autumn 2019.

A further phase of ticket sales will also start in the Spring of 2020, offering first-come, first-served sales on a global basis.

First-phase applicants can register 30 primary and 30 secondary choices for a maximum of 30 tickets on the website, which can be viewed by clicking here.

Tickets are available for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as events in all 33 Olympic sports.

One sport for which tickets are not currently on offer is boxing amid the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the organisation of the competition.

An International Olympic Committee (IOC) inquiry into the International Boxing Association (AIBA), launched in December, is due to present its final report to the Executive Board at its next meeting in Lausanne on May 22.

It could lead to the IOC removing AIBA's recognition as the Olympic governing body for the sport and, subsequently, another organisation running the Tokyo 2020 tournament.

Ticket applications can be changed or cancelled during the registration period but all those assigned via the lottery must be purchased by July 2 with cash or a VISA credit card.

The ticketing website struggled from the moment it opened to online applications ©Tokyo 2020
The ticketing website struggled from the moment it opened to online applications ©Tokyo 2020

Pre-registration is necessary for Japan residents wishing to purchase tickets from the official website.

That can be done here.

People living outside Japan will be able to purchase tickets through authorised ticket resellers (ATRs).

From today, ATRs can conduct promotional activities in their assigned territories and engage in Olympic ticket promotion prior to the launch of actual ticket sales.

They can then commence their ticket sales from June 15, though the sales launch date in each territory may vary depending on each ATR’s sales plans and schedules.

The Tokyo 2020 ATR list can be viewed by clicking here.