By Nick Butler in the Tolstoy Room at the Main Press Centre in Sochi

Seiko Hashimoto is confident that the Organising Committee has done enough to maintain security at Sochi 2014 ©Getty ImagesFebruary 2 - Japanese Chef de Mission Seiko Hashimoto has expressed her "full trust" that every precaution has been taken by Russian organisers to ensure security ahead of Sochi 2014.


Her confidence followed yesterday's announcement the Australian team's movements will be restricted for the duration of the Games in response to security concerns precipitated by bomb blasts on consecutive days in December in the city of Volgograd north of Sochi.

But no such measures have been introduced by the Japanese, who feel that security issues will not be a problem.

"Between the[Olympic] Village and sports venues we use special buses, and everything is done very accurately in terms of transfer." Hashimoto said. 

"We fully trust the organisers and we trust that our team is very well guarded.

"We are placed in very good conditions here so we do not worry about this any more."

Japanese team members greeted by a military salute today in Sochi are confident that security levels will be controlled ©Getty ImagesJapanese team members, greeted by a military salute today in Sochi, are confident security levels will be well controlled ©Getty Images


However, Hashimoto also insisted that it "is very important to provide security for the athletes", before revealing all team members have been provided with mobile phones to ensure strong communication.

"We don't want to find ourselves in a stressful environment during the Games," she said.

"But both at venues and in the Olympic Village they feel at ease and we have created all the necessary condition for them to compete, train and rest without any stresses."

Hashimoto also outlined how the Japanese team, the largest ever selected for a Winter Olympic Games, is confident about its medal prospects once action gets underway later this week, with the inaugural figure skating team event targeted as early opportunity for success.

Japanese team members Narumi Takahashi and Ryuichi Kihara training today ahead of Japan's bid for a team figure skating medal ©Getty ImagesJapanese team members Narumi Takahashi and Ryuichi Kihara training today ahead of Japan's bid for a team figure skating medal ©Getty Images

Hashimoto, along with Deputy Chef de Mission Toshimasa Furukawa and general manager Hidehito Ito, highlighted a range of other events in which medals are targeted. 

This includes ladies freestyle skiing - where it is hoped a gold medal will be won - men's Alpine skiing, short track speed-skating and ice-hockey.

Hashimoto is repeating her the Chef de Mission role she also held at Vancouver 2010.

The 49-year-old, named Seiko after the Olympic Flame at Tokyo 1964, competed at a record seven Olympics, including four Winter as a speed skater, winning a bronze medal at Albertville 1992.

She is now a politician in the House of Councillors, representing the Liberal Democratic Party, and was linked with the vacant Tokyo Governor role before opting not to run due to her Olympic commitments, which also include being President of the Japan Skating Federation.

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