“A Matter of Common Courtesy”: Japanese Fans Surprise After Match Against Netherlands

The long-standing Japanese tradition of tidying up the stands and the area they occupied after a match continued at this World Cup.

Like a habit ingrained in them, the players cleaned the locker room, and the fans gathered and cleared away their trash.

Japan drew 2–2 against the Netherlands in the first match of Group F at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, held at Dallas Stadium in Texas, USA, on June 15 (KST).

As the final whistle blew, Japanese fans remained in the stands as they always have, taking out blue trash bags.

The blue bags, which represent the color of Japanese soccer, were used as cheering tools during the match and served their original purpose after the game.

France’s AFP news agency reported on this scene in detail.

The media outlet described the atmosphere on-site, stating, “Japanese fans silently picked up empty cups and food waste left behind throughout the stands.”

One Japanese fan said, “This is by no means an act to show off to anyone. Cleaning up the place where you stayed is just a matter of common courtesy that we have been taught since we were young.”

Another fan added, “The 2–2 draw result has nothing to do with us picking up trash.”

The team also upheld the familiar tradition.

AFP reported, “The Japanese national team’s locker room was perfectly organized, with only paper cranes left behind after the players departed.”

A Japanese national team official explained through the media, “This is our own quiet way of expressing gratitude to the organizers for allowing us to use the stadium.”

Such behavior stems from Japan’s unique educational culture, which teaches children to clean school facilities, such as classrooms, themselves from a young age.

As this scene has been reported several times through past international tournaments, it has now become quite a familiar sight to soccer fans around the world.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.