Japanese midfielder Jun'ichi Inamoto in action against Belgium. (Jiji)

The 2002 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, captivated the Japanese public throughout June. In its second appearance at the World Cup finals, the Japanese team chalked up its historic first ever World Cup points and qualified for the knockout stage as the winner of Group H. After Japan lost to Turkey in the round of 16 on June 18, the excitement died down just a little. Major newspapers took the chance to comment on the World Cup in their editorials.

The Football Feel-Good Factor
Japan ended its first World Cup appearance four years ago in France without a single point, but this time the team claimed seven points by winning two games and drawing one. Although it failed to progress past the first of the knockout rounds, many Japanese were delighted with the team's performance. Newspapers echoed this sentiment with headlines like "Well Done! A Round of Applause from Everyone" (Mainichi Shimbun) and "The Japanese Team Gave Us Something to Cheer" (Yomiuri Shimbun).

Amid a long period of economic troubles, there have been few pieces of good news for the Japanese public to smile about. In this context the performance of the Japanese team was warmly welcomed, and as Japan accumulated points, cries of "Nippon! Nippon!" (Japan! Japan!) could be heard in the more lively parts of town. The Yomiuri Shimbun commented: "Many people feel there is little light at the end of the tunnel, but the Japanese team really showed us that if we try, we can succeed - not just in soccer but in life." The Asahi Shimbun, meanwhile, said: "It is no exaggeration to say that the confident play of these young men with their hair dyed red, silver, or gold showed us that the future of our country is full of life and diversity."

Japan's French manager, Philippe Troussier, was the subject of much editorial comment. Troussier was invited to take over the team after the 1998 World Cup in France. He once said that the problem with managing Japan was "more than technique or tactics, the tendency for Japanese people to stick with what they know and the 'cultural wall' around Japanese society." He sometimes came into conflict with the powers that be in Japanese soccer over how the team should be led. After leading Japan to the last 16 of the World Cup, however, Troussier was showered with praise. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun said: "This success deserves special mention. Thanks to Troussier, Japan's key players have learned a lot from foreign teams and have become more determined." The Mainichi Shimbun observed: "At times Troussier got so emotional that he seemed eccentric. He broke down Japan's tradition of not letting people stand out from the crowd and of hierarchy based on seniority and introduced a new atmosphere. Opinion is likely to be divided on Troussier, but a Japanese manager would surely have had difficulty achieving the same success." Some quarters of the media compared Troussier to Carlos Ghosn, the president of Nissan Motor Co. who came from Renault and has turned Nissan's fortunes around in a short space of time.

Cup Boosts Japan-South Korea Relations
During the selection process for the venue of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Japan and South Korea fought hard for the right to act as host country, but in the end FIFA decided that the two countries should host the event jointly. The Tokyo Shimbun said of the first ever co-hosting of the World Cup: "The words 'Let's meet in the final' became common currency among fans from the two nations, who shared the same feelings about the event. Leaving past troubles behind, people in both countries - especially the younger generation - have been writing a new chapter of history in the form of their shared memories of this great event." The Mainichi Shimbun expressed support for the South Korean team: "The World Cup is over for the Japanese team, but South Korea is still in the hunt. For the sake of Asia, let's hope they continue to win." Until now many observers have described Japan and South Korea as two countries that are "so near, yet so far apart," but co-hosting the World Cup has undoubtedly enabled them to take a step toward closer relations.