JILIN, Northeast China - It is the warmest winter in Jilin city since 1959, but Japan coach Atsushi Kazama still think it is too cold for his athletes to compete in biathlon competitions of the sixth Asian Winter Games.

A visitor looks at the torch of the Sixth Asian Winter Games after the opening ceremony in Changchun, northeastern China's Jilin Province, January 28, 2007. [Reuters]

"It is too cold here, the athletes' performance may be affected, " said Atsushi Kazama on Sunday.

Jilin province, which includes host cities Changchun and Jilin, is having an average air temperature of 11 centigrade below zero, eight centigrade higher than usual. Nevertheless, many winter games are held in warmer places that have an average air temperature of around zero.

Despite the unfavored weather, the Japanese biathlon team is confident of doing well in the competitions to be kicked off on Monday.

"The result is hard to predict, but I believe we will do well, especially in the men's events," Kazama said.

"The Chinese team has an upper hand in the women's events, while the men's events will be wide open."

"There are some veterans and some rising stars in our team, we are sending our best to the games," Kazama said.