Japan won't let Chinese security guards accompany Olympic torch relay in Nagano

Friday 11th April, 03:14 PM JST

TOKYO —

Japan will not accept security guards dispatched from China when the city of Nagano in central Japan hosts the Olympic torch relay April 26, National Public Safety Commission Chairman Shinya Izumi said Friday. So far, special elite guards from China’s Public Security Ministry, dressed in blue and white, have been running with the torchbearers in all countries.

‘‘The Japanese police will firmly maintain security,’’ Izumi, a cabinet minister who is responsible for supervising police forces nationwide, told a press conference. ‘‘I myself do not accept the idea that they will run in Japan as they ran in other countries. ‘We do not know what position the people who escorted the relay are in. If they are for the consideration of security, it is our role.’‘

Meanwhile, Chinese Ambassador to Japan Cui Tiankai met the head of the Nagano prefectural police, Takashi Ishii, on Friday to ask for cooperation for ensuring the security of the relay in Nagano.

‘‘I felt the passion for accepting the flame. I believe it will be a success,’’ the envoy told reporters after the meeting at the prefectural police headquarters in Nagano.

Japanese authorities have expressed concern about security for the Olympic torch relay, following disruptions to the relay in Paris, London and San Francisco this week.

Robert Ménard, 54, secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders, told Kyodo News, “We are planning to take our protest activities to Nagano. I’m satisfied with the scope of protests so far. I didn’t expect tens of thousands people to join the campaign.”

Hiroto Yoshimura, director-General of the National Police Agency, on Thursday said the NPA would take the necessary steps to ensure the torch relay was not disrupted. “We are working on security measures in conjunction with the Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee and Nagano City.”

The NPA will mobilize about 500 police officers and 1,000 private security guards along the torch relay course. Yoshimura said the NPA is also considering having riot police officers accompany torchbearers.

In Nagano, several inquires have been made at City Hall requesting information on the relay route, said a city official.

Wire reports

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Latest 15 of 33 Total Comments Show All

cxu at 06:01 PM JST - 11th April

more here:

"The invasion of the robotic thugs" http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/4963

or google search "Top Chinese Cops Protect Olympic Flame"
hoserfella at 06:56 PM JST - 11th April

Do the Chinese really fear a bunch of 70-80 year old senior citizens so? I don't think there's a Naganite (sp?) alive who's young enough to even keep up with the torch-bearers...
VoXman at 10:00 PM JST - 11th April

I can't understand how all these countries allowed the Chinese security guards to operate in their country. What were they going to do arrest a citizen? All they could possibly do is act as a human shield. I think its right that Japan, said No, we got this. We are fully capable of controlling protesters in our own country. And I dare say I have witnessed it. The J-Police can take down a riot faster than the Chinese did. Besides if they let the China Police in for any reason, even for diplomatic feel good reasons. The Ultra right Black Van people would use it as an excuse to jump in with their Katana's (baseball bats)....
Cos at 10:12 PM JST - 11th April

@Black Humour

*As much as I want to sympathise for the riots in Tibet,

I don't (or maybe I do). I mean I was no idea what happened there. This is not the point.

*but look really.. this is about OLYMPIC..

This is no longer because Hu Jintao has made the Tibet whatever-happen an anti-olympic thing when he accused Tibetans to do so and created the relation. Then, I have seen videos of the blue red guards harassing French athletes, not even demonstrators, in Paris, and really, I find that totally abnormal and incompatible with olympic games.

Look at this : Olympic champion David Douillet was one of the most pro-olympic flame bearer you could find. Why do those blue chinese governemental yakuza push him and don't let him hold the flame ?

http://video.eurosport.fr/jeuxolympiques/pekin/2008/video_vid70024.shtml

And then, the Chinese governement tells to his brain-washed people that the foreign demonstrators are criminals.

There should a boyicott unless Hu Jintao apologize for the way he is dealing with the games and insulting people from all over the world.
Kwaabish at 10:18 PM JST - 11th April

"Japan will not accept security guards dispatched from China when the city of Nagano in central Japan hosts the Olympic torch relay April 26..."

Good! Now wouldn't it be really funny if one of the torch bearers decides to do the run in total Tibetian/Burma/Darfur outfit for all to see...
japanyesterday at 10:21 PM JST - 11th April

i think i would rather get slapped, pushed or shot by a local cop rather than one from another country. on the other hand, this is not that serious. A lot of protesters just follow the hype and dont even believe or deeply care about the cause. How come no one cared about china's violations until the olympics? if anyone should protest, it should be the athletes. everyday hypocritical citizens should just sit back and if they really want to make a difference then stop using products from china. lets see how many will be protesting after the olympics..
realist at 12:31 AM JST - 12th April

Three cheers for Japan and Australia! Both countries have said they will not allow the thugs from the Chinese Communist Party to jackboot alongside the Olympic Torch in their countries. I cant understand why Britain, France and America allowed those blue-suited thugs into their countries in the first place. I am so happy to see Japan especially taking this tough stance. The whole Olympic Torch relay is nothing but a CCP propaganda exercise. I love th ordinary Chinese people, but I detest their undemocratic and evil government and its activities since it seized power in 1949. Tibet should be set free, and the thugs who ordered the massacre of innocent civilian pro-democracy protestors in Tiennamen Square should be brought to justice in an International Criminal Court.
illsayit at 01:08 AM JST - 12th April

I really wonder whether you will see Japanese protestors that obviously protesting? No need for the Chinese escort. Of course there is always the flamboyant gaijin around who undoubtedly would have the hide......
Jyan_Bon at 03:29 AM JST - 12th April

We are 100% behind your decision Japan + Australia. We don't need those Chinese escort. The Torch will be much safer without them.
Maze at 05:27 AM JST - 12th April

The job of maintaining law and order in Japan is the mission of the Japanese Police and not imported thugs from China.
notimpressed at 01:13 PM JST - 12th April

because that would be in a different discussion I believe.
Everton2 at 02:51 PM JST - 14th April

A agree with the decision by the Nagano authorities to band those Chinese guards. Security should be exclusively the domain of the local authorities. The Chinese need to understand that the rule of law has at its heart the right of peaceful protest. This is something the Chinese don't understand and would not allow in their own country. I am amazed that they were even allowed to host the Olympic Games given their record on human rights.
usaexpat at 11:03 PM JST - 16th April

Why would anyone accept foreign security for the torch relay? Maybe the Japanese actually have some sense in saying no to China. I can't believe that there will be as many protests here as in the US or Europe, the Japanese aren't particularily politically active.
zzonkerr at 05:13 PM JST - 17th April

Very glad that Japan is having nothing to do with the Chinese security teams. All this mess about a new China is a sham, anyway.

You wanna see the friendly, happy, sweet, gentle face of the new China?

Go here --> http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/14/amnesty.executions.ap/index.html

That picture has haunted me for the past couple of days.
DeepAir65 at 10:16 AM JST - 18th April

as I said on the other post I wish Japan (and other countries) would just front up and say bye, bye rather than all this weak rhetoric.

Or better still China just cancel the relay...

I really wish politics would stay out of sports.

But with the pollution problem maybe they should cancel the games