TOKYO-- Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Tuesday condemned some protesters for violently disrupting the Beijing Olympic torch relay.

French police stop a Tibet separatist (in red) who tries to grab the Beijing Olympic torch during its relay in Paris, April 7, 2008. Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on Tuesday condemned some protesters for violently disrupting torch relay. [Xinhua]

"In any case, one cannot approve of the use of violence to block the Olympic torch relay, no matter what reason there is behind such behaviors," Komura told reporters.

Necessary measures have to be taken to prevent such illegal acts, he said.

The Olympic flame is scheduled to reach the central Japanese city of Nagano on April 26.

The Olympic torch in Paris, the fifth leg of its global travel, was repeatedly disrupted on Monday by Tibet separatists and their supporters who tried to grab the torch or block the relay route.

The torch had to be carried on bus several times as precautionary measures against the protesters.

In its previous stop in London, "pro-Tibet independence" activists also used violence to disrupt the Olympic torch relay.