Japan supporters clean the stands at the end of the World Cup group E soccer match between Germany and Japan, at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022. Japan won 2-1.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
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DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Japanese fans and players get attention at every World Cup because they clean up after themselves after the matches. This happens if they win or lose. The behavior is driving social media posts at this World Cup in Qatar, But it’s nothing unusual for the Japanese. They have been doing it since Japan’s first appearance in the World Cup in 1998 in France. They are simply doing what most Japanese do — at home, at school, at work, or on streets from Tokyo to Osaka, Shizuoka to Sapporo. Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu says “for Japanese people, this is just the normal thing to do.”
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