JAPAN: Protestors rally their support for Tibet in Japan's city of Nagano as the Olympic torch arrives

Record ID: 329521

  • Title: JAPAN: Protestors rally their support for Tibet in Japan's city of Nagano as the Olympic torch arrives
  • Date: 25th April 2008
  • Summary: (BN08) NAGANO, JAPAN (APRIL 25, 2008) (REUTERS) JAPANESE PRO-TIBET AND ANTI-CHINESE PROTESTERS MARCHING DOWN STREET JAPANESE RIGHT-WING ACTIVIST SHOUTING THROUGH MICROPHONE "DOWN WITH TORCH RELAY" PROTESTERS HOLDING JAPANESE AND TIBETAN FLAGS PROTESTERS MARCHING WITH ANTI-CHINESE BANNER TIBETAN FLAGS PROTESTERS MARCHING DOWN STREET PROTESTERS HOLDING A BANNER WHICH READS "TO COMMUNIST CHINA STOP GENOCIDE IN TIBET" IN ENGLISH AND JAPANESE PROTESTERS MARCHING
  • Embargoed: 10th May 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: International Relations,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAEA4HQGIE6L3XJAKV5Q43MI6K8
  • Story Text: About 100 pro-Tibet groups, mainly consisting of Japanese right wing activists, rallied in the streets of Nagano Friday (April 25), where the Olympic torch is set to relay on Saturday (April 26).
    The protesters denounced China's crackdown on the Tibet uprisings while carrying pro-Tibet and Japanese flags around streets near City Hall.
    "Nagano City, cancel the torch relay now!" shouted the protesters, as two riot police vans trailed behind them.
    The global torch relay ahead of the Beijing Games in August has provoked protests against China's rights record, especially in Tibet, as well as patriotic rallies by Chinese who say the West has vilified Beijing unfairly.
    Spectators will be barred from the Olympic torch opening and closing ceremonies.
    The Zenkoji Buddhist temple in Nagano withdrew from kicking off the Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay, citing security concerns and anger from followers over China's crackdown in Tibet.
    The torch will l be guarded by up to 4,000 police, media said, with riot police and another 100 regular officers set to shield torch-bearers in two rows, shrouding the runners from sight.
    About 2,000 Chinese students from across Japan are set to travel to Nagano, local media said, carrying Chinese and Japanese flags and wearing matching T-shirts to show support for the relay.
    More than 560,000 Chinese nationals live in Japan, official figures show, making them the second largest group of non-Japanese after Koreans. Many are students.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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