INQUIRER Sports

NAGANO, Japan -- The Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay ended Saturday after completing a four-hour course amid protests and scuffles that injured at least four people, witnesses said.

Hundreds of people waving either Chinese or Tibetan flags were waiting under close police watch at the final point of the relay.

Police shoved back anti-China protesters who had tried to push onto the main road to disrupt the end of the procession. The demonstrators shouted at Chinese supporters who were separated on the other side of the street.

Hisakazu Hattori, a 21-year-old Japanese student, was waving a Tibetan flag at the relay's end.

"China kills Tibetans, who are a very peaceful people, so I hate the Chinese government. I want Tibet to become independent," Hattori said.

Nagano, the host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, was set to hold an invite-only final ceremony for the torch, which moves on Sunday to Seoul.