Posted on 04/11/2008 2:18:36 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
April 11, 2008
Japan bans tracksuited Chinese torch guards, as relay moves to Buenos Aires
Leo Lewis, Asia Business Correspondent
The "thug" Chinese security guards who have accompanied the Olympic torch on its route through London, Paris and San Fransisco, will not be allowed to make a repeat performance in Japan.
Matters of security on Japanese soil will be handled by the domestic police alone, and that principle will not be compromise just because it is the Olympics, said the Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission in Tokyo.
“I do not personally accept the idea that they will run in Japan as they ran in other countries,” said Shinya Izumi, who was discussing arrangements for the Nagano leg of the torch relay later this month.
Mr Izumi, reflecting the revelation that the blue-tracksuited Chinese runners are in fact paramiltary-trained police, said that any security role they played – including pushing protesters off the road as they have done elsewhere – would be an infringement of Japan’s sovereignty.
Mr Izumi said that Japan “would not welcome” the sort of behaviour by the undercover police that caused Lord Coe, the organiser of the 2012 games, to describe them as “thugs” in an unguarded moment.
The Beijing organisers tried to reassure the IOC today about security around the remainder of the Olympic torch relay, which today moves on to Buenos Aires. Argentine authorities were expected to deploy 1,300 federal police, 1,500 naval police and some 3,000 traffic police and volunteers to try to ensure security around the torch.
“The (Beijing) organising committee today did underline to us that they have taken steps to make sure any risk, if there is any, is mitigated and we’re very confident and comfortable with that,” Giselle Davies, an IOC spokeswoman, said.
The Japanese ban which is likely to incense Beijing, do little to help relations between Tokyo and its neighbour.
Diplomatically, the two countries have only recently begun to emerge from a five-year collapse in relations that surrounded the controversial war shrine visits of the former prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi.
The Chinese authorities have asked Japan to allow two of the police guards to run with the torch in the mountainous town of Nagano – site of the winter Olympics in 1998.
Japan had originally planned to post 1,200 police along the route, but raised the overall security budget by 30 per cent last month after the ferocity of pro-Tibet demonstrations became clear.
Japan joins Australia in refusing to allow the Chinese security services to run with the torch on the Canberra leg of the relay.
Ping!
Australia has also banned them. If it ever gets this far. Hardly what I would call good advance publicity for the games. We’re being told that not a word about the demonstrations is being broadcast in China. Its all sweetness and light. Which is probably why the torch relay hasn’t been cancelled yet, as I’m sure the IOC would prefer. Too much of an internal loss of face for the Chinese leadership. Not to mention havin to explain why, after all the censorship.
This is the kind of stand-up-for-freedom action you can take when you aren’t in deep in debt to bastard thugs like George Bush’s America.
I don’t expect much from Bush anymore. After he sided with Jose Medellin, eeewwww...he likes to please his friends too much.
I agree with you except that it is not only GWB’s fault, it is previous and current leadership in this country that have empowered this enemy, not just GWB.
Sad.
It’s an absolute, sickening shame that the ChiCom PLA troops were allowed into London, Paris and San Fransisco, that too, on active duty.
Foreign, alien troops on duty in one’s own country. What ever happened to principles?!!
Thats not entirely true. I am reading about the protest in the Chinese news it just put in the light of rabid ignorant people who have been brain washed by the evil western media. Just go to Shanghai Daily and you can see. The poor weak and defenseless disabled athlete was attacked by barbarous rioters in the streets of France. A slap in the face to the French. I am much more concerned by the fact that Japan and Australia seem to protect their citizens from the Chinese military much better then the American government does. Perhaps I will move to one of these countries instead of coming back to America. Don’t want the Chinese Army coming into my house and taking down my Reagan picture.
This is well done by the Japanese government.
I wish our own government had shown the same backbone in banning these thugs.
Bravo to both nations.
Australia has not banned the ChiCom thugs
“Stand up for freedom” The democrats mush be gnashing their teeth over what is happening. I love it!
Well, at least the Japanese get it.
Just DAM’N!
I was looking forward to the prospect of watching a classic Kung Fu fight between the ChiCom and the Japanese cops in the streets of Tokyo
and now they’ve been and spoiled everything, by telling the ChiCom that their thugs can’t show up. How disappointing!
What’s a true dyed-in-the-wool chop-sockey fan like me gotta do these days to get ANY entertainment, ay!
The last I heard they had. It was reported on Radio National that security for the relay would be handled by local authorities.
(Directed at Chinese Communist thugs of course.)
Showed 'em who's boss! ;-)
bump
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