A12. Apart from the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan enters what is called a "rainy season" every year in May and June. Cold air from the north and warm air from the south meet, bringing a lot of rain. During the rainy season soccer fields can get covered in rainwater. But International Stadium Yokohama, where the World Cup final will be held, has a large underground pool that can hold water drained from the field. In the event of a downpour, water is temporarily stored there. There was heavy rain during last year's Confederations Cup, but the pitch remained in good condition, and the games were played as normal. There should be no problems with rain on the field at International Stadium Yokohama.

Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, meanwhile, is able to have green grass all year round. Even in the winter, the field will not become yellow, as it is made from a blend of five different types of grass. Experiments have been conducted on the field to see how it reacts to different amounts of sunlight and different temperatures, and it has passed every test. No matter what the time of year, players and spectators will be able to enjoy a green field.

In addition, all of the stadiums have been designed to be accessible for everyone. For example, Miyagi Stadium has 104 permanent and 92 temporary seats for people who use wheelchairs. It also has about 3,500 seats specially designed for those who use hearing aids, and the meeting room in the stadium is equipped this way as well. There are 60 toilets that have hand rails for the disabled, and there are two elevators designed to help them move about the stadium with ease. The first ever National Sports Games for the Disabled were held in Miyagi Stadium last October.

International Stadium Yokohama copes well with heavy rain. (Yokohama Sports Promotion Corporation)