Zenkoji Temple declines Olympic torch relay role; sponsors cancel plans to offer vehicles

Friday 18th April, 02:18 PM JST

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Hikozaemon at 05:54 PM JST - 18th April
A lot of very familiar sounding nationalist garbage is being said here.
- Japan is not the only country in Asia where there are protests against Chinese human rights conduct - most free countries in Asia have Tibetan and Falung Gong refugees, and political exiles from China. Look at the violence in Delhi and Nepal, where tens of thousands of Tibetan refugees live in exile.
- If China were ransacking catholic churches, and spying on and rounding up catholic priests like they are with Falung Gong and Tibetan buddhists, I doubt that the Vatican would want to be the start of a torch relay through Rome. Why would a buddhist shrine ignore the repression of their co-religionists in Tibet and give the Chinese government a platform to pretend that everything is fine?
- I think that the dismissal of these protests as anti-Chinese is as bad as Japanese extreme right wingers dismissing criticism of Japan's war record as anti-Japanese. Nationalist counter-protesters are not even engaging the issues being raised by protestors, they are just assuming that everything is made up anti-Chinese propaganda. This is exactly how Japanese right wingers think about Chinese criticism of Japan.
- A lot of people here are implying that this is a protest by or on behalf of the Japanese government. Once again, this is a fundamental failure of people to understand that in some countries, people are allowed to express views different to those of the government or its policies. The Japanese government is participating in the games and hosting the relay. A temple, for its own quite legitimate reasons is not comfortable allowing the Chinese government to use its temple as a site for olympic related PR while it suppresses and arrests buddhists in Tibet for political dissent.
Many people here often say that Japan would quickly win more friends in Asia if it listened to the concerns of its neighbors, and owned up to and learned from its wrongs. I think that China and its supporters would do well to heed the very same advice they so often dish out, and not dismiss all criticism as simply being anti-Chinese, or even more absurdly, anti-Olympics.

Peace
UnagiDon at 07:38 PM JST - 18th April

the West tends to politicize the event

Great, great example of unintended irony there, Supporter. Kudos!
GrouchyGaijin at 09:07 PM JST - 18th April

When Japan does something like this for fear of protests, it always seems to find its way into the snub China propaganda. Yes, Japan needs to do more and better to deal with its past. But, I honestly think that the folks in Nagano in particular, and Japan in general just want a successful games this summer. (I'm hoping that stadium gets finished in time and doesn't collapse or something!) Kinda like ethnic protesters in immigrant-welcoming countries who take their battles with them, Japan just wants to be left alone. As grouchy as I am, and I am, I acknowledge that, I understand the need to be left alone and to tell folks, "Yes, we understand there's a problem with Tibet. But, there are ways to deal with that and this isn't one of them. At least not here, and not now." How? I can't really say what would be the most effective way.
Pukey2 at 09:27 PM JST - 18th April

Strange that the temple didn't object until after the violent demonstrations in Europe and SF. If they're scared of people throwing a few punches and shouting, and inconveniencing surrounding shops (a la Prince Hotel and the cinemas refusing to show Yasukuni), then SAY SO, instead of pussyfooting and pretending to be supporting their 'brothers', as DeepAir65 says.

Why so little support for Falungung? Where were all the western supporters when Chinese (not exclusively Han, mind you) were being killed in Tiananmen Square?

I'm all for Tibet getting more autonomy, but I don't see why Tibet cannot remain part of a more peaceful China (see Hawaii and Okinawa - whose natives, by the way, are less and less able to speak their native tongues). I'm not going to pretend I know how Tibetans' lives are like in Tibet, but I wonder how many of the posters here have actually been there or whether they're just basing their so-called knowledge and wisdom on reports from western media which has been so quiet on the ethnic Hans killed/injured in the riots. I wonder how the Tibetans would act if their standards of living were higher?

I don't like the Chinese government either, but I'm so looking forward to the Olympics and actually seeing the ordinary Chinese folks have a nice time. It's about time, considering how they were treated more or less like dirt in the 20th century by Europeans, Americans and Japanese, and then having to endure hardships courtesy of Mao.
MichaelJP at 09:41 PM JST - 18th April

salaryman: Most people are protesting because they are anti-Chinese.

Thanks for raising the race-card, Mr Chinese Propoganda blogger.

People are demonstrating their disgust at the violent repression of human rights, something possible thanks to free-speech. Try that in China and you'll soon realize the truth of the statement that China is ruled by "thugs and goons" (thx CNN).
MichaelJP at 09:47 PM JST - 18th April

supporter The torch has made a smooth and successful relay run in Russia, Argentina, Tanzania, Oman, Pakistan and India (commendations to the Indian and Nepalese security force).

hahaha, nothing demonstrates the Olympic Spirit more than a show of force by the Indian and Nepalese security forces. China will be very proud.
jackwz at 11:48 PM JST - 18th April

i doubt it will be a nice decision
some14some at 11:49 PM JST - 18th April

nothing demonstrates the Olympic Spirit more than a show of force by the Indian and Nepalese security forces. China will be very proud.

That is called diplomatic victory for India and Nepal, knowing that China will be very proud but un-thankful !
OssanULTRA at 12:34 AM JST - 19th April

The torch relay has been a disaster, as has been China's Olympics as a "coming out event". China made commitments 7 years ago concerning human rights and thought they could have their cake and eat it too. Now they're being called on it. I feel bad for the athletes, but not for the corporate sponsors (bad call guys)or the CCP dictatorship. Let the 2008 Nazi Olympics begin. And yes, China today is hardly communist since they've switched to nationalism for cohension and control (just look at the posters here) and they are socialists so nothing wrong with calling them National Socialists. Just like Berlin, a dicatorship wants to show off it's greatness to the world. Good for the Buddhist monks in Japan for standing up not only for their brother buddhist clergy in Tibet, but for what's right.
Nessie at 12:52 AM JST - 19th April

I guess they'll have to go to Yasukuni. See you at Yasukuni!
ToughGuyBanker at 01:42 AM JST - 19th April

The temple needs to have any tax exempt status taken away RIGHT NOW, since they have announced themselves as a political organization. The idea to take the torch to Yasukuni is the best one seen so far. It symbolizes the unity of Asia that could have been. The enrichment of a continent that benefited most where Japan occupied longest.
Shumatsu_Samurai at 02:50 AM JST - 19th April

The temple needs to have any tax exempt status taken away RIGHT NOW, since they have announced themselves as a political organization.

Rubbish. If anything it has shown that it doesn't want to get sucked into politics. Beijing made the Olympics political by using it to generate nationalism in China. That has come back to bite them in the backside, so the temple has decided to back out rather than be pulled down as well.
Hapa_musume at 03:24 AM JST - 19th April

I don't like the Chinese government either, but I'm so looking forward to the Olympics and actually seeing the ordinary Chinese folks have a nice time. It's about time, considering how they were treated more or less like dirt in the 20th century by Europeans, Americans and Japanese, and then having to endure hardships courtesy of Mao.

Part of me agrees, since the same was said of ALL Japanese of WWII -- and by extension ALL had to suffer for the deeds of some.

It's nice to be smug in another country that doesn't have mad governments, and citizens don't have to get away from their Plasma TVs and remotes long enough to take a leak, to cry "freedom" and "justice". When you have to protect your family -- even community -- from being like those peasants in Nanking, survival comes first. This is true for peasants in Japan during WWII; Germans under Nazi rule; and Russians under Stalin et al.

My mom's father was ordered to Manchuria during WWII to build bridges. If he refused for "freedom" and "justice", my family wouldn't have existed. Or, say the same slogans to my mom's relative who had her only son drafted and died in a week on Iwo Jima -- who's mom died believing the lock of hair that was only left of his body, was still alive somewhere.

It's why brutal regimes exist. You must protect more than yourself, because Hollywood depictions of "heros" and "martyrs" are but myths.

The Chinese people themselves aren't bad. It's their government. Don't punish the Chinese people for the stupidity of the governments, nor their wish to live like you from the comforts of your "freedom" and "justice" home.
OssanULTRA at 05:16 AM JST - 19th April

"The Chinese people themselves aren't bad. It's their government. Don't punish the Chinese people for the stupidity of the governments, nor their wish to live like you from the comforts of your "freedom" and "justice" home."

The above is absolutely true. Very few of us have any negative feelings towards the Chinese people or their culture. We are outspoken against the vicious totalitarian regime. Yet, you'll see in every forum on the net supporters of the CCP claiming that the west is biased against China and the Chinese people. The CCP govt themselves cleverly accused CNN of hurting the feelings of the "Chinese people".
kitzrow at 11:20 AM JST - 19th April

With all these protests around the world, is there a chance that the Olympics could be canceled? For some reason, it just seems to be leading up to that and if that happened ... WOW.