[ Japanese Buddhist temple wants out of torch relay ]　Tokyo - A Buddhist temple in the central Japanese city of Nagano intends to withdraw from hosting
the Olympic torch run, a spokeswoman said Friday. Zenkoji Temple, the city's main landmark, is slated to serve as the relay's starting venue and
host an opening ceremony April 26 for the Beijing Olympic torch relay.But media reports said temple officials conveyed their intention to withdraw
to city officials Friday because its monks sympathize with the Tibetan people. The decision was expected to be formalized later in the day.
If the temple officially declines to host the relay little more than a week before the event, it was expected to cause major changes to
the 18.5-kilometre run in Japan."We have the strong feeling that we are the same Buddhists as the Tibetan people," Jiji Press quoted one of the
monks who attended a torch relay meeting as saying.Nagano earlier had cancelled an Olympic-related event to be held next week mainly to strengthen
security and management of the torch run.The event at a park was to feature photo sessions with the Olympic torch, music performance and sales
of Olympic-related goods.Organizers' decision to cancel the event followed demonstrations and protests during the torch run in London,
Paris, San Francisco and New Dehli.（earthtimes Fri,18 Apr 2008 04:00:04 GMT）

[ Japanese temple refuses to host Olympic torch relay ]　TOKYO: A major Japanese Buddhist temple withdrew Friday from a plan to host
the Beijing Olympics torch relay, amid speculation that the monks sympathize with Tibetan protesters.Zenkoji Temple has refused to serve
as the starting point for the April 26 relay, said Kunihiko Shinohara, secretary-general of the Nagano city organizing committee for the event.
The relay has drawn protests around the world against China's crackdown on Tibetan demonstrators."We respect the temple's decision.
This means the starting point will change," he said after he met with Zenkoji monks earlier in the day.Another city official,
Koichi Yajima, said the monks were concerned about the safety of the temple and its worshippers should the relay spark the angry
demonstrations it has brought in Europe and the United States.However, Japan's Jiji Press news agency quoted an unnamed priest saying as
Zenkoji priests feel solidarity with people in Tibet as fellow Buddhists. Officials at the temple's secretariat said they could not
confirm the reports.The government in Tokyo said it planned to provide adequate security for the relay."The relay went smoothly in some spots
and got disrupted in other places overseas. We want to prevent disruptions with thorough security," Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said.
The torch relay was to start from the famous temple, taking runners through the city for 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles).Nagano,
the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, has already canceled a post-relay event because of security concerns.Since its start March 24 in Greece,
the torch relay has been a magnet for critics of China's policies in Tibet. Protesters disrupted stops in London, Paris and San Francisco,
helping make the games among the most contentious in years.（Herald Tribune April 18, 2008）

[ 聖火リレーの出発地変更で長野市の公務員が「徹夜になる」と不満タラタラ ]　「びっくりした」「徹夜で準備しないと」。２６日の北京五輪聖火リレーで、
長野市は１８日、善光寺の意向を受け、出発地点の変更を決めた。本番まで約１週間。担当職員からは困惑の声が上がった。午前１１時半、善光寺の僧侶４人が
市役所６階の会議室に。黒の着物姿で一様に硬い表情。市側は教育次長と体育課長らが出迎えた。教育次長が「話せることを話してください。わたしたちも
話せることを話します」と差し向けると、善光寺の幹部らは無言でうなずいた。一方、市の聖火リレー実行委員会の男性事務局員は取材に「びっくりしたの一言に
尽きる」と絶句。「当日まで１０日を切って聖火ランナーの管理や式典の準備で、ただでさえ忙しい。徹夜で作業しないと…」とため息を漏らした。