Photo: Twitter/@afcasiancup
sports

Japanese soccer team receives worldwide praise for behavior at Asian Cup

12 Comments
By Shannon McNaught, SoraNews24

On Feb 1, Japan faced Qatar at the AFC Asian Cup 2019. The team gave their all to try and take home first place for the first time since 2011, but they unfortunately lost the match against their opponents. However, they stirred up some buzz for something besides their mad soccer skills.

When Asian Cup staff checked the dressing room used by Japan’s soccer team, they found it absolutely spotless. The players even left a message saying, “Thank you!” in three languages (see photo above).

Of course, this isn’t the first time Japan’s reputation for cleanliness has made headlines (and yes, we’re talking about more than just Marie Kondo). You may recall how Japanese fans cleaned the stands at the Brazil World Cup in 2014. Their behavior at sports events in particular inspired fans of other teams to do the same.

Twitter users from around the world chimed in with their own comments about the clean locker room.

“I love Japanese players and their fans. They congratulated Qatar even though they lost. Respect.”

“Go Blue Samurais! #respect”

“One of the most beautiful things I saw today on Twitter”

“Everytime this topic comes up, I hear the opinion ‘They’re putting cleaning workers out of their jobs,’ from around the world. I really don’t understand it. I think it’s obvious that professional cleaners have a thorough cleaning process when the venue closes. Just because it’s already somewhat clean doesn’t mean you don’t have to work, right?”

“Right, because it’s already somewhat clean, that means you have time to make it even cleaner by dusting the tops of shelves or wiping doorknobs. That makes it even more sanitary. Maybe that’s a Japanese way of thinking?“

Still, that’s not to say big events in Japan are always free from mess, especially around Shibuya at Halloween or at central parks during hanami season.

Nonetheless, we commend the Japanese soccer team for their behavior at the Asian Cup 2019. Their good manners have only contributed to Japan’s overall image of cleanliness.

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- Japanese soccer fans’ awesome manners are spreading to another country at World Cup

-- Internet turns Japanese referee into member of Brazil’s soccer team after controversial call

-- Shohei Ohtani amazes Major League Baseball with his impeccable Japanese manners

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

12 Comments
Login to comment

What we call in japanese mie wo haru.

I am not fooled at all, the japanese go at length to impress foreigners who know little of japan or japanese.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

It's an idea that the Japanese media love to push, especially in the lead up to coming world sporting events, that Japanese people are so clean, and that Japanese thinking is so wonderful. When the cameras are around, Japanese people are very good at roleplaying, but when the cameras are gone the fairy dust goes too. Although closing the borders to the rest of the world might have helped their culture to develop in certain ways, it also gave them far too much time for navel gazing, which the local media love to exploit endlessly. Have you ever seen a person from another country (they all get heaped into the same basket) say anything negative about Japan on Japanese television?

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I wonder why there is so much trash around the city in Japan though.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

People in japan pick up because they have to. There's a lack of public trash cans and the janitorial services are minimal. So when Japanese people go overseas they pick up by reflex even though they don't have to, and that impresses the locals.

I do the same, not because I'm Japanese, but because I've lived here for so long it's become a force of habit.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I think it is cute that they do this, but definitely fringe news. Bigger news if they’ve actually won.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

better send them out here to the Sotobō, they can clean up all the trash people dump by the roads out in the countryside, from combini plastic, to building debris, to fridges, mattresses, tvs, you name it.... and it's getting worse....

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Re "The Japanese". There are all kinds of people living here, some extremely untidy. On the whole though, they do like to keep up appearances, for whatever reason.

I remember a Japanese student once telling me that he didn't like fish; somehow the relief felt great inside as another concept shattered.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I am not fooled at all, the japanese go at length to impress foreigners who know little of japan or japanese.

Possibly but we can't blame them for being 'too' polite, clean, nice can we.

Better than having guys take a dump in urinals or trash the visitors locker room.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Might this be ingrained from Japanese schools using students to clean up the building and grounds?

If so, I'd love to see that where I live.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Amazing! Thank-you, Moriyasu-Japan! You fell just short of the big Cup, but won the prize for most polite nation. I hope this story keeps spreading to millions more around the world on Twitter!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Gotta love the Japanese! Well done.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

So besides the 'Fair-Play Award' which they received there, they can collect the, er... 'Cleanest Lockers Trophy'?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites