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Japanese temple withdraws from relay

People visit Japan's Buddhist Zenkoji temple in Nagano, central Japan, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

A major Japanese Buddhist temple withdrew yesterday from a plan to host the Beijing Olympics torch relay, citing safety concerns and sympathy among its monks and worshippers for pro-Tibet protesters.

Zenkoji Temple has refused to serve as the starting point for next Saturday’s leg of the relay, said Kunihiko Shinohara, secretary-general of the Nagano city organizing committee for the event. The relay has drawn protests around the world against China’s crackdown on Tibetan demonstrators.

“We respect the temple’s decision. This means the starting point will change,” he said after he met with Zenkoji monks.

Another city official, Koichi Yajima, said the monks were concerned about the safety of the temple and its worshippers should the relay spark the angry demonstrations it had brought in Europe and the US.

An official at the temple’s secretariat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the temple and its worshippers were also concerned about the treatment of fellow Buddhists in Tibet.

“There have been a lot of talk about the Tibet issue and the public opinion is heightening,” she said. “We are Buddhists just like them. We hear words of concern from many people every day.”

The government in Tokyo said it planned to provide adequate security for the relay.

“The relay went smoothly in some spots and got disrupted in other places overseas. We want to prevent disruptions with thorough security,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said.

The torch relay was to start from the famous temple, taking runners through the city for 18.5km.

Nagano, the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, has already canceled a post-relay event because of security concerns.

Since its start March 24 in Greece, the torch relay has been a magnet for critics of China’s policies in Tibet and human rights activists. Protesters disrupted stops in London, Paris and San Francisco.

The Olympic flame is to arrive in Japan from Australia — where further protests were anticipated — and then travel to Seoul, South Korea.

Meanwhile, the flame arrived under tight security in Thailand yesterday for the latest leg of its round-the-world relay and was quickly taken to a luxury hotel to await an official welcome by the country’s crown princess.

Thousands of police and military have been ordered to secure today’s torch relay in Bangkok to prevent disruptions from protesters of China’s human rights record that have plagued the flame on other stops.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej pledged “the government’s full attention” for the relay, which he called an honor for Thailand.

“Why would anyone protest in Thailand? Why don’t they protest in China?” Samak told reporters. “This is a good thing for Thailand. Thai people should be proud.”

Chinese security officials escorted the torch on a charter flight that landed before dawn yesterday at a military airport outside Bangkok after leaving India, where some 15,000 police helped keep Tibetan protesters away from the flame.

A pro-China gathering greeted the torch at the airport, with about 30 people waving Chinese and Olympic flags as the plane landed at 2:40am local time. The airport reception was arranged by the Chinese embassy, Thai officials said.

The torch was then driven to a downtown luxury hotel.

Thai Crown Princess Sirindhorn was scheduled to preside over a private welcome ceremony yesterday afternoon that was open only to palace photographers and government-owned television.

Up to 2,000 police were to guard today’s relay, a 10.5km run starting in Bangkok’s Chinatown and ending at the Royal Plaza, a large square in the historic section of the city.

The torch is scheduled to leave Thailand for Malaysia tonight.


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