Football News - Mascots, Strip Shows and the Media

Tickets

Tickets are still available online at www.fifa-tickets.com for Japan venues, including the Quarter Finals. The Japanese soccer lottery Toto is also offering the chance to purchase tickets by becoming a registered member. Phone 0570 001010 or 03 3985 1010 (from mobiles). Prestige packages for the games in Japan are also still available.

Kodo Drummers

The world famous Kodo drummers will perform before the Ireland v Cameroon game in Niigata on June 1. The percussion group is based on nearby Sado Island.

Media

Over 17,000 media representatives will attend the 2002 World Cup - 12,000 broadcasters and 5,000 journalists and photographers. 24 shuttle buses are planned for the International Media Centre at Yokohama's Pacifico Building and the Korean media centre in Seoul.

Figured Out

According to the Japanese Construction and Transport Ministry 443,000 people are expected to visit Japan for the World Cup based on ticket and transport sales.

Strip Show

Japan's new kit, designed by Adidas, was unveiled in Tokyo with a huge image of possibly Real Madrid-bound Shunsuke Nakamura at Shibuya Station. The uniform, inspired by Mount Fuji, is 35% lighter than the 2001 version.

Baseball

Japan's pro-baseball leagues have rearranged their schedule to avoid games on the days of the national team's 3 group matches.

Hiddink Under Pressure

Korea's Dutch coach Guus Hiddink is under fire in Seoul after his team's poor showing at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the U.S where they lost 2-1 in the Third Place play-off to lowly Canada. Korea failed to win any of their five games, scoring only three times and conceding seven.
The South Korean press carried photos of Hiddink's girlfriend, who had joined the coach in the U.S. Straitlaced Korean society frowns on public appearances by celebrities' babes. The USA beat Costa Rica 2-0 in the final.

Mascots on TV

The computer-generated mascots for the 2002 World Cup are to star in their own animated TV series in Japan and Korea. There is strong interest from the UK, Germany, France and South America. Soccerphile had a sneak preview and they made us laugh.

Japan Eyes English Fans

Japanese football officials monitored the behavior of England fans in Amsterdam's bars before and after the February 13 friendly against Holland. A booklet and the edited highlights will be circulated to police and town councils in the cities that will host the England national team. Is this really necessary? It will surely only confirm the ‘henna gaijin' (strange foreigner) stereotypes held by many public officials in Japan.

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