Kids' Activities 19

Japanese Support South Korean Team

	Fans cheer on South Korea at Yoyogi National Stadium. (Jiji)

On June 25, when South Korea played Germany in the World Cup semifinals, many people all over Japan were rooting for the Korean team. Germany won the game 1-0.

A public viewing of the game was held on a giant screen at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo - a special place for Japanese soccer. About 6,000 spectators turned up to watch, including members of the KJ Club - a group of South and North Koreans resident in Japan and Japanese who cheer on the Japanese and South Korean teams - quite a few Japanese. One Japanese member of the KJ Club said: "Japan lost, so I really wanted our co-host South Korea to do well. They tried really hard."

Near JR Shin-Okubo Station in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, where there a lot of Korean restaurants and food stores, and in Korean restaurants around Japan, many red-shirted Korean supporters gathered to watch the game on TV. A Japanese company worker wearing a red shirt said: "Thanks to co-hosting the World Cup, I really feel that Japan and South Korea have become closer. I will cheer for the Koreans again in the third-place playoff."

The students of Maita Junior High School in Yokohama were both happy and sad at the match. Their school took part in the One Station, One Country campaign run by Yokohama Municipal Subway, and posters made by the school's art club and soccer club to support South Korea were displayed at Maita Station. The kids were disappointed that South Korea lost. "We really wanted the Korean team to come to International Stadium Yokohama for the final."