Japanese Buddhist Temple No Longer Starting Point For Torch Relay On April 26

Tokyo (AHN) -- Controversy surrounding the Olympic Torch Relay continued on Friday when a major Japanese Buddhist Temple withdrew its plan to host the torch as a starting point for the April 26 relay.

The Zenkoji Temple made its decision citing safety concerns of the temple and its worshipers and also sympathies among its monks for the Tibetan protesters.

There already was a growing concern the torch relay would spark the same kind of demonstrations already seen in Europe and the United States.

The torch was scheduled to start from the famous temple, taking runners on a journey of 18.5 kilometers through the city.

Nagano, which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, already had canceled a post-relayed event because of security reasons.

Nagano city organizing officials for the event met with the monks on Friday.

Kunihiko Shinohara, the secretary-general of the Nagano city organizing committee told the Assoicated Press, "We respect the temple's decision. This mea's the starting point will change."