World Cup: Fifa awards Japanese fans for collecting trash at stadiums
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Volunteers at the Japan-Germany game praised the efforts of the conscientious fans.
PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM FROM OMAR FAROOQ/INSTAGRAM
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DOHA – Japanese football fans have received an award from Fifa for picking up trash at stadiums,
After the Qatar-Ecuador match that kicked off the tournament
Volunteers at the Japan-Germany game praised the efforts of the conscientious fans, who even received a thank-you message via the public address system.
A World Cup organising committee official expressed appreciation for the actions of the Japanese at an award ceremony in Doha on Thursday and said it would be great if such spirits were shared among the people of Qatar and other countries.
The official said Moroccan and Tunisian supporters have also been picking up litter at stadiums, apparently inspired by the efforts of Japanese fans.
A 22-year-old university student from Minamisoma, Fukushima prefecture, who collected rubbish at the tournament’s opening match and the Japan-Germany game, received flowers and commemorative gifts from Fifa. “I feel strange receiving an award for doing nothing special,” said the student. “It’s part of Japanese culture, and I want to spread it around the world.”
A tweet on Fifa’s official Twitter account posted after Japan’s victory over Germany read: “It’s not only three points that Japan have in the bag.”
Another Fifa tweet circulating on social media had a photo of the Japan team’s changing room with the message: “After an historic victory against Germany at the #FIFAWorldCup on Match Day 4, Japan fans cleaned up their rubbish in the stadium, whilst the @jfa_samuraiblue left their changing room at Khalifa International Stadium like this. Spotless. Domo Arigato.”
According to the team, staff and reserve players tidied up the changing room after Wednesday’s match with dustpans and brooms they had brought with them from Japan.
Samurai Blue delegations have cleaned up changing rooms at past tournaments. This time, they also left origami cranes
THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
