Special report: 2008 Olympic Games  

Torchbearer Ai Fukuhara, table tennis player, runs with the torch in Nagano, Japan, on April 26, 2008. Nagano is the 16th stop of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, April 27 -- The 16th leg of the Beijing Olympics Games torch relay was a huge hit in Nagano city of central Japan yesterday.

    Fittingly, the last runner in Japanese leg was tiny powerhouse Mizuki Noguchi, the Athens Olympics women's marathon gold medalist, who lit the cauldron with the torch, marking the end of the flame's passing in Japan.

    Throngs of Chinese students and scholars from Japan convened at Wakasato Park, at the south end of Nagano central railway station, to celebrate the smooth and successful finish of the relay.

    Loud cheers for the motherland and good wishes for the Beijing Olympics never stopped during the afternoon closing ceremony in the park. Even heavy rain did not dampen their passion.

    Japanese police guards in track suits surrounded the torchbearers and another 100 uniformed riot police ran alongside six patrol cars and two motorcycles. They were backed up by thousands of other officers.

    "I'm so glad I could safely light up the cauldron," said Noguchi. "I ran as I wished for the success of the Beijing Olympics and for peace."

    Supporters waved Chinese flags and wore T-shirts that read "Welcome to Beijing." About 2,000 Chinese exchange students swarmed Nagano to show their support.

    Tsunekazu Takeda, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, Chiharu Igaya, vice president of the International Olympic Committee, Li Binghua, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games, Nagano Mayor Shoichi Washizawa and Chinese Ambassador Cui Tiankai attended the ceremony.

    "We are happy to see that the Olympic torch brought the spirit of peace and friendship to Nagano," Washizawa said in his address.

    Li expressed gratitude for the Japanese side's thorough preparation and circumspect efforts for the relay.

    At least five Japanese media helicopters hovered over the torch procession.

    A series of performances, including traditional dancing by Japanese children, was staged in the park soon after the ceremony. An orchestra waved off groups of Chinese spectators with its music.

    Zhang Bi, a torchbearer representing all Chinese students in Japan, told Xinhua news agency he communicated with local people while waiting for his run, and was deeply impressed by their interest in the relay.

    "I felt much stronger with the support of friendly Japanese spectators and hundreds of Chinese youths all along the way," Zhang said.

    Wu Zhishen, the torchbearer who ran on behalf of Chinese emigrants in Japan, said he held the torch with great confidence as "there are more than 600,000 Japan-based Chinese behind me."

    "The torchbearer prior to me was a Japanese, and the one after me was an American ... it's really an international relay", Wu said, adding that he was especially moved by Japanese spectators' love for sports and the Olympics as many of them asked for a touch of the torch.

    The Chinese Embassy organized a banquet for the flame delegation and Japanese guests in Tokyo in the evening.

    The flame was flown out of Japan last night for today's 17th leg in Seoul.

    (Source: Shanghai Daily)

People cheer for the Olympic torch relay in Nagano, Japan, on April 26, 2008. Nagano is the 16th stop of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay. (Xinhua/An Zhiping)(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

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