JAWOC Intransigence Could Lose Finals for Japan.
Reports are surfacing in the Japanese media that problems between the Japan World Cup Organizing Committee (JAWOC) and FIFA could lead to Japan losing its share of the 2002 World Cup in favour of a tournament held solely in Korea. The weekly magazines Shukan Shincho and Shukan Gendai claimed that the real reason behind JAWOC's decision to delay the domestic sale of 347,000 tickets was a number of disagreements with FIFA over accommodations, taxes and visas. Host nations are expected to comply with FIFA directives, as South Korea has dutifully done, but JAWOC has so far been dragging its feet. The 233 member JAWOC, supposedly contracted to be FIFA's sole representative in Japan, is made up primarily of government bureaucrats and business executives and could hardly be labelled a professional soccer body. A former Ministry of Home Affairs vice minister serves as its secretary-general. Unlike the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA remains in sole charge of its events, regardless of where they are held, whereas it seems JAWOC is attempting to run things its own way and not be dictated to by "outsiders". Accommodation seems to be one of the biggest sticking points between FIFA and JAWOC. In June, FIFA appointed the British company, Byrom Consultants, to handle all accommodation arrangements. However, JAWOC may be culpable of turning a blind eye to Japanese travel corporations booking up available rooms at the ten venue cities and of sending out mixed-messages to regional hoteliers as to who is ultimately responsible.
Problems also exist over taxes on international broadcasting rights and JAWOC's apparent failure to clear the matter with the Japanese tax office would leave FIFA facing a potential $US 200 million tax bill.
Further delays at this stage would leave even less time to implement policies for currency exchange, transport, translation, security and policing issues. JAWOC has reportedly been warned by FIFA to sort out the outstanding problems or risk losing the entire event to a joint South and North Korea-held tournament. Contingency plans have supposedly already been drawn up by FIFA to stage 30 games in the south and two in the north in the event of Japan receiving the red card. Critics site JAWOC's lack of international awareness and its make up of ex-government bureaucrats as the main reasons behind the apparent power struggle. It seems the men at JAWOC headquarters in Tokyo are treating the 2002 World Cup as a purely domestic issue and are unfamiliar with the concept of co-operating with international organizations.
JAWOC's president, Sho Nasu, however, assured the press that any problems would be overcome and Japan would not be losing its share of the next World Cup.Latest-
JAWOC confirmed on Nov. 2 that tickets would be going on sale as early as next February 2001 following an acknowledgement by the Japanese government that FIFA would be exempt from taxes on World Cup-related enterprises. The delay in ticket sales has reportedly cost JAWOC an estimated US$2.3 m. It now seems certain that the tournament will go ahead as scheduled but be prepared for more problems arising between FIFA and JAWOC.