Torch relay kicks off in Japan

NAGANO, Japan (CNN) -- The Olympic flame relay through Nagano, Japan, kicked off with little incident on Saturday despite concerns over anti-China protests that have threatened the torch along its journey to host city Beijing.

Heavy security flanked torchbearer Senichi Hoshino, manager of the Japanese national baseball team, as he started the relay in Nagano -- home of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games.

A few sideliners waved Tibetan flags, but those were outnumbered by those holding large Chinese flags. Security officers lined the streets, keeping two sides of spectators at bay, and dozens more paced in single-file alongside the torchbearers.

The relay was running smoothly until a protester holding a Tibetan flag threw himself at a torchbearer, briefly holding up the latest leg. Security officers quickly tackled the man, dragging him away before arresting him.

Earlier, a group of anti-China protesters threw objects at the relay, prompting police to push back at the crowd. E-mail to a friend