by Chris Salzberg
The Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay came to an end on Saturday without serious incident, but many Japanese bloggers who attended the event were left with lasting — and often bitter — impressions. The story of a Tibetan exile living in Taiwan, who jumped at the runner and was taken down by police, sparked hundreds of posts on 2channel, as did the choice of police to block protesters holding Tibetan flags from entering the area around the finish line.
Many bloggers pointed out how Nagano, for one day, seemed to transform into China. Blogger shuyan writes:
ç§ã®å°è±¡ã¯ã€Œã“ã®ä¸€æ—¥ã ã‘長野ã¯å®Œå…¨ã«ä¸å›½ã¨åŒ–ã—ãŸã€ã¨ã„ã†ã“ã¨ã§ã™ã€‚
テレビや写真ãªã©ã§ç¢ºèªã§ãã‚‹æ˜ åƒã¯ã€ã¨ã«ã‹ã赤ã„国旗ã®ã‚ªãƒ³ãƒ‘レードã§ã—ãŸã€‚
物々ã—ã„è¦å‚™ãªã©ã‚’見ã¦ã€Œæœ¬å½“ã«ã“ã‚ŒãŒæ—¥æœ¬ï¼Ÿã€ã¨æ€ã‚ã‚ŒãŸæ–¹ã‚‚多ã„ã§ã—ょã†ã€‚
ã“ã®ç•°æ§˜ãªé›°å›²æ°—ã¯ã€å¹³å’Œã®ç¥å…¸ã¨ã‚ã¾ã‚Šã«ã‹ã‘離れã¦ã„ã‚‹ã¨ã„ã£ãŸæ„Ÿã˜ã§ã™ã€‚
The images confirmed on television and in pictures were at any rate that of a cavalcade of red national flags.
I suppose a lot of people, seeing the overbearing security, must have wondered: “Is this really Japan?”
This strange atmosphere had a feeling that was worlds apart from a peace festival.
In a post entitled “Nagano was red”, blogger Vasi (ヴァスィ) writes:
真ã£èµ¤ã«æŸ“ã¾ã£ãŸæ²¿é“。
ã¶ã¤ã‹ã‚Šåˆã†ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆæ”¯æ´è€…ã¨ä¸å›½äººã€‚
何é‡ã«ã‚‚å–り囲ã¾ã‚Œã¦èµ°ã‚‹è–ç«ãƒ©ãƒ³ãƒŠãƒ¼ã€‚
ゴール地点ã«ä¸å›½äººã—ã‹å…¥ã‚Œã•ã›ãªã„長野県è¦ã€‚
弱腰ã§åå‘ãªãƒžã‚¹ã‚³ãƒŸã€‚(ã“ã‚Œã¯ç•°æ§˜ã£ã¦ã“ã¨ã‚‚ãªã„ã‹…)
Clashing Tibet supporters and Chinese people.
The running torchbearer, surrounded by many layers [of security].
The Nagano prefectural police, admitting only Chinese people to the finish line.
The weak and biased mass media. (This is nothing out of the ordinary…)
Many bloggers expressed frustration at the police presence. Blogger ae0800 writes about their own experience:
僕ã¯ã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒˆã®ç´„2時間å‰ã€åˆå‰6時å‰å¾Œã«ã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒˆåœ°ç‚¹ã‚’通éŽã—ãŸã‚“ã§ã™ãŒã€ãã®éš›ã‚‚æŒã£ã¦ã„ãŸãƒ¡ãƒƒã‚»ãƒ¼ã‚¸ãƒœãƒ¼ãƒ‰ã‚’ãƒãƒƒã‚°ã«ã—ã¾ã†ã‚ˆã†ã€è¦å¯Ÿã‹ã‚‰æŒ‡ç¤ºã‚’å— ã‘ã¾ã—ãŸã€‚æ›°ã「å›ãŸã¡ã‚’トラブルã‹ã‚‰å®ˆã‚‹ãŸã‚。ãã‚Œã«å¾“ãˆãªã„ãªã‚‰ã€ã“ã“を通ã™ã“ã¨ã¯å‡ºæ¥ãªã„。ã€ã¨ã„ã†ã“ã¨ã€‚スタート地点周辺ã¯æ—¢ã«ä¸å›½ã®å›½æ——ãŒå¤šæ•° ã¯ãŸã‚ã„ã¦ã„る状æ³ã§ã—ãŸãŒã€ãã‚Œã§ã‚‚「埋ã‚ã¤ãã•ã‚Œã¦ã„ã‚‹ã€ã¨ã„ã†çŠ¶æ…‹ã§ã¯ãªãã‚€ã—ã‚スペースã‹ãªã‚ŠãŒã‚る状態ã ã£ãŸã«ã‚‚é–¢ã‚らãšã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆæ”¯æ´è€…ãŒå›½ 旗やボードを掲ã’る行為ã€ã‚ã‚‹ã„ã¯ã€Œãã“ã«ç•™ã¾ã‚‹ã“ã¨ã€ã¯è¨±ã•ã‚Œã¾ã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚åŒè¡Œã—ã¦ã„ãŸä½•äººã‹ãŒæŠ—è°ã®å£°ã‚’挙ã’ã¾ã—ãŸãŒã€ã€Œãã‚Œã¯ã“ã“ã§è©±ã™å†…容ã§ã¯ ãªã„。説明や質å•ã¯ä¸€åˆ‡å—ã‘付ã‘ãªã„。ã€ã¨ã„ã†å½¢ã§ã‹ãªã‚Šé«˜åœ§çš„ãªå¯¾å¿œã‚’ã•ã‚Œã¦ã„ã¾ã—ãŸã€‚
An article at OhmyNews cast suspicions, however, on the motivations of some of the pro-Tibet protesters. As writer Fujikura Yoshiro explains:
26æ—¥ã€é•·é‡Žå¸‚ã§è¡Œã‚ã‚ŒãŸè–ç«ãƒªãƒ¬ãƒ¼ã®ã‚¹ã‚¿ãƒ¼ãƒˆå‰ã«è¦‹ã‹ã‘ãŸã€Œãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆå´æ”¯æ´è€…ã€ã®å°ç«¶ã‚Šåˆã„ã«ã¯ã€ç¾å ´ã§å–æã—ã¦ã„ã¦ã€ã‚ã‚‹ä¸è‡ªç„¶ã•ã‚’æ„Ÿã˜ãŸã€‚ã¨ã„ã†ã® ã‚‚ã€ãã®å ´ã®ã€Œãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆå´æ”¯æ´è€…ã€ã®è¨€è‘‰ã‚„態度ãŒã€ã“ã‚Œã¾ã§ã‚ªãƒ¼ãƒžã‚¤ãƒ‹ãƒ¥ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã§ãƒªãƒãƒ¼ãƒˆã•ã‚Œã¦ããŸãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã®ãƒ‡ãƒ¢è¡Œé€²ã‚„関係者ã®ç™ºè¨€ã¨ã¯ã€æ˜Žã‚‰ã‹ã«é•ã£ ãŸã®ã 。
The article goes on to explain that these “Tibet supporters” were actually Japanese “fake Tibet supporters” deliberately trying to cause problems:
スタート地点ã«ã„ãŸãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆå´æ”¯æ´è€…ãŸã¡ã¯ã€ä¸å›½äººã«å‘ã‹ã£ã¦ã€Œå¸°ã‚Œï¼ã€ã€Œè™æ®ºç³¾å¼¾ï¼ã€ãªã©ã€å¼·ã„調åã§éžé›£ã®è¨€è‘‰ã‚’åã„ã¦ã„ãŸã€‚「帰れã€ã¨ã„ã†è¨€è‘‰ãŒã€ ã“ã“ã§ã®å°ç«¶ã‚Šåˆã„ã®åŽŸå› ã«ã‚‚ãªã£ã¦ã„る。ã—ã‹ã—ã€ã“ã‚Œã¾ã§ã‚ªãƒ¼ãƒžã‚¤ãƒ‹ãƒ¥ãƒ¼ã‚¹ã§ãƒªãƒãƒ¼ãƒˆã•ã‚Œã¦ããŸãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã®ãƒ‡ãƒ¢ãªã©ã«ã¯ã€ã“ã‚Œã»ã©ã®æ”»æ’ƒæ€§ãŒæ„Ÿã˜ã‚‰ã‚Œ ãªã‹ã£ãŸã€‚ãŸã ã²ãŸã™ã‚‰ã€Œãƒ•ãƒªãƒ¼ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆã€ã¨ã‚³ãƒ¼ãƒ«ã—ã¦ã„ã‚‹ã ã‘ã§ã€ä¸å›½ã¸ã®éžé›£ã‚„æ¨ã¿ã‚’モãƒãƒ™ãƒ¼ã‚·ãƒ§ãƒ³ã«æ´»å‹•ã—ã¦ã„ã‚‹ã¨ã„ã£ãŸå°è±¡ã‚’ã¾ã£ãŸãå—ã‘ãªã‹ã£ ãŸã€‚
The article concludes with these thoughts:
 ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã‚°ãƒ«ãƒ¼ãƒ—ã¨ä¸»å¼µãŒé•ã£ã¦ã„ãŸã¨ã—ã¦ã‚‚ã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆæ——を掲ã’ã€ã€Œãƒ•ãƒªãƒ¼ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆã€ã‚’å”±ãˆã¦ã„ãŸä»¥ä¸Šã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã‚’支æ´ã™ã‚‹æ„æ€ã¯ã‚ã‚‹ã®ã ã‚ã†ã€‚ã—ã‹ã—ã€æžœãŸã—ã¦å½¼ã‚‰ã®å˜åœ¨ã¯ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã®ãŸã‚ã«ãªã‚‹ã®ã ã‚ã†ã‹ã€‚
 むã—ã‚彼らã®è¡Œå‹•ã‚„態度ãŒã€ã€Œä¼¼éžãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆvsä¸å›½äººã€ã®ãƒˆãƒ©ãƒ–ルを「ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººvsä¸å›½äººã€ã§ã‚ã‚‹ã‹ã®ã‚ˆã†ã«ãƒ¡ãƒ‡ã‚£ã‚¢ã‚„世間ã«è¦‹ã›ã¤ã‘ã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã®è¶³ã‚’引ã£å¼µã‚‹ã“ã¨ã«ãªã‚Šã¯ã—ãªã„ã‹ã€‚
 今回ã®è–ç«ãƒªãƒ¬ãƒ¼é¨’å‹•ã§ã¯ã€é•·é‡Žå¸‚ãŒåŒ—京ã«è¦‹ãˆã¦ã—ã¾ã†ã»ã©ã®ä¸å›½äººã®å‹•å“¡åŠ›ã¨çµ±çŽ‡åŠ›ã«é©šã‹ã•ã‚Œã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆäººã‚°ãƒ«ãƒ¼ãƒ—ã®ã¾ã˜ã‚ã§æ‚²ç—›ãªè¨´ãˆã«ã‚·ãƒ³ãƒ‘シーを感ã˜ãŸã€‚ã—ã‹ã—åŒæ™‚ã«ã€“ä¼¼éžãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆ”ã®é†œã•ã‚‚見ã›ã¤ã‘られãŸã‚¤ãƒ™ãƒ³ãƒˆã§ã‚‚ã‚ã£ãŸã‚ˆã†ã«æ€ã†ã€‚
Meanwhile, a 40-year-old truck driver, blogging at Kurukichi no hitorigoto, was fed up with both sides:
æ£ç›´ã€ä¸å›½äººç•™å¦ç”Ÿã¨ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆæ”¯æ´è€…ãŒãƒã‚«é¨’ãŽã™ã‚‹ã ã‘ã®é›†ã¾ã‚Šã«ã—ã‹è¦‹ãˆã¾ã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚
ç•™å¦ç”Ÿã‚‚支æ´è€…ãŸã¡ã‚‚è¡Œã‘ã°ã©ã‚“ãªé¢¨ã«ãªã‚‹ã‹ã€ã‚ã‹ã£ã¦ã„るよã†ãªã‚‚ã®ãªã®ã«ã€ç¾åœ°ã«è¡Œã£ã¦ã€ã„ã–å°ç«¶ã‚Šåˆã„ã«ãªã£ã¦æ€ªæˆ‘人出ã—ã¦ãŸã‚‰ä¸–話ãªã„ã§ã™ã。
Even though both the Chinese students and the Tibet supporters knew what kind of thing would happen if they came, they go to the spot anyway and quarrel with each other, so if anybody is injured, they don’t deserve any help.
スタートå‰ã€å³ç¿¼ã®é–¢ä¿‚者ã¨ã‚‚ã‚ã¦ã€æ€ªæˆ‘ã‚’ã—ãŸç•™å¦ç”Ÿã‚‚ã„るよã†ã§ã™ãŒã€ã“ã‚Œã¯å³ç¿¼å´ãŒæ‚ªã„ã«ã—ã¦ã‚‚ã€ãã‚“ãªã¨ã“ã‚ã«è¡Œã£ã¦å¾¡é¨’ãŽã™ã‚Œã°ã©ã†ãªã‚‹ã‹ã‚ã‹ã‚‹ã¨æ€ã„ã¾ã™ã€‚
ã¾ãŸã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆæ”¯æ´è€…も物を投ã’ãŸã‚Šã€ä¹±å…¥ã—よã†ã¨ã—ãŸã‚Šã¨ã€ãŸã ãŸã 迷惑をã‹ã‘ã¦ã„るよã†ã«ã—ã‹è¦‹ãˆã¾ã›ã‚“ã§ã—ãŸã€‚
Also, these Tibet supporters throwing things and trespassing, all I see here is people trying to create trouble.
ã„ã‚ã‚“ãªè¨€ã„分ã¯ã‚ã‚‹ã«ã—ã¦ã‚‚ã€ç§ã¯åŒæ–¹ã©ã¡ã‚‰ã¨ã‚‚ã„ã„ã“ã¨ã‚’ã—ãŸã¨ã¯æ€ãˆã¾ã›ã‚“。
æ£ç›´ã€ã“ã®ãƒªãƒ¬ãƒ¼ã‚ˆã‚Šå–„光寺ã§è¡Œã‚ã‚ŒãŸã€ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆé¨’å‹•ã®çŠ 牲者ã®è¿½æ‚¼æ³•è¦ã®æ–¹ãŒè½ã¡ç€ã„ãŸæ„Ÿã˜ã§è¦–ã‚Œã¾ã—ãŸã€‚
Honestly, more so than the relay itself, the Buddhist memorial service at Zenkoji mourning victims of the Tibet uprising seemed to have a feeling of calm.
Finally, blogger OTO tried to move beyond the dispute and hoped for a resolution of the conflict:
北京五輪è–ç«ãƒªãƒ¬ãƒ¼ã§å°‘ã—å•é¡ŒãŒã‚ã£ãŸã¿ãŸã„ã§ã™ã€‚ã§ã‚‚ã€æ—¥æœ¬ã§ã™ã‹ã‚‰å¤§ä¸ˆå¤«ã§ã™ã€‚ä¸å›½ã¨ãƒãƒ™ãƒƒãƒˆã®å•é¡Œã¯ï¼’国ã§è§£æ±ºã—ã¦ã—欲ã—ã„ã§ã™ã€‚è–ç«ãƒªãƒ¬ãƒ¼ã¯ã¿ã‚“ãªã®äººãŸã¡ã«ã—ã¦æ¬²ã—ã„ã§ã™ã€‚
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