Q9. Who is going to cheer for the foreign teams that will play in Japan?

A9. In Japan there is the One School, One Country Program, in which elementary and middle schools each support athletes or players from one country. This was first done at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, and athletes from around the world were greatly encouraged by the support of Japanese kids. The same system was used in Australia at the time of the Sydney Olympics and in the United States for the Salt Lake Winter Olympics. Japan, where One school, One Country started, is using the system again for the World Cup.

In one of the host cities, Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture, for example, four elementary schools near Kobe Wing Stadium have each taken charge of supporting one of the four countries that will play first-round matches at the stadium. Nigeria will be supported by Hamayama Elementary, Russia by Meishin Elementary, Sweden by Wada-Misaki Elementary, and Tunisia by Mano Elementary. The schools are conducting various exchange activities, such as inviting people from these countries that live in Kobe to come and talk about their country's culture, and kids from each school have made big flags with messages of support written on.

In Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido, local schools are supporting the six teams that will play first-round matches in the city. Germany will be supported by Satsunae Elementary School and Ayameno Elementary, Saudi Arabia by Nisshin Elementary, Italy by Yamahana Elementary, Ecuador by Kami-Nopporo-Higashi Elementary, Argentina by Honcho Elementary, and England by Kami-Shiroishi Elementary and Toyohira Elementary. The schools are researching their countries and making efforts to support the teams.

	Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Lius Chilavert visits a school in Matsumoto. (Executive Committee for Paraguay National Team Training Camp in Matsumoto)

Paraguay's team, which includes world-famous goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, is holding a training camp in the city of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, and schools in this area are taking part in "one school, one player" activities. This is a new program in which schools nearby will each conduct exchange with one player during the camp. All 22 of Matsumoto's municipal elementary schools plus two other schools are taking part, for a total of 24 schools. Each school can decide for itself how to support its player, such as inviting him to visit the school during the camp or having the students visit the team's practice ground.