Q4. How do Japan's supporters cheer on their team?

A4. In most countries men of all ages make up the bulk of soccer fans, but one feature of Japanese soccer is the large number of young people - both men and women. Japanese fans tend to simply cheer on their own team rather than booing or jeering their opponents.

Japanese fans cheer on their team in the Japan vs. Russia match in Yokohama. (Jiji)

On international match days, fans wearing replica Japan shirts pour into the stadium. Some bring banners with the names of their favorite players written in big characters, while some wave big flags. When Japan has a chance to score, shouts of "Nippon! Nippon!" (Japan! Japan!) spontaneously break out. Players who create chances or prevent danger also get cheered loudly from the stands.

Japanese fans go very quiet at half-time, but during play they are always making noise. For people who want to sit and watch the game in peace, they may even be a little too noisy.

Many people say Japan's fans are very well mannered. This point was reported by the French media at the 1998 World Cup in France. A newspaper in Toulouse, where Japan played Argentina, said: "The supporters who had come all the way from Japan enthusiastically cheered on their team during the game, and afterwards they put their litter into blue garbage bags they had brought to express support for the blue-shirted Japanese players and took it home. Some of them even used portable ashtrays. For football fans, this is extraordinary, almost surreal behavior."