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Japan 'snubs' China's 'men in blue'

Apr 20 2008

Japan 'snubs' China's 'men in blue'

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By Agencies

Torch runners in other countries have alleged China's 'men in blue' act aggressively [EPA]
Tokyo is reported to have warned Beijing that its blue tracksuit-clad security force which has followed the Olympic torch will be unwelcome in Japan.

Japanese police formally turned down a proposal by Chinese Olympic organisers for several security officials to escort the torch through the city of Nagano, Kyodo news agency reported on Saturday.

Torch-runners in other countries have complained they were tightly surrounded by China's "men in blue" who acted aggressively and shouted orders at them.

In Paris, one of the security men was said to have snatched a Tibetan flag headband from one of the runners.

Japanese police will let two non-security Chinese officials run alongside the torch and relight it if it blows out, the Kyodo news agency said.

Chinese guards protecting the torch in other cities have been picked from special police units chosen for skills in martial arts, marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat according to British-based website sinodefence.com, which specialises in Chinese military affairs.

Security fears

Japanese media on Saturday also reported that Zenkoji temple, the planned starting point of the Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay, had backed out of the torch run.

Shinsho Wakaomi, head of the temple's secretariat, said the temple's withdrawal from the ceremony was over fears for people's safety.

"Zenkoji is open to anyone, and people can get into the temple grounds from anywhere. Ensuring security at the temple is very difficult," he was quoted in Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun as saying.

He also said the Buddhist temple was concerned over the situation in Tibet.

China's recent crackdown on riots and protests against Chinese rule in Tibet have become a contentious issue surrounding the Beijing Olympics.

Thailand's leg of the Olympic torch run got under way earlier on Saturday, with the flame guarded by more than 2,000 police and security officials.

Scores of activists, angry at China's human rights record and rule over Tibet, were present as the torch was paraded through Bangkok, but protests lacked the scale of those that dogged the relay's progress through Europe and the US.

About two hundred China supporters were also present in Bangkok to welcome the flame.

The Olympic flame arrived in Kuala Lumpur early on Sunday amid heightened security and fears that foreigners might disrupt the April 21 leg.