Japan Friendly May Be In Jeapordy

Well, it's presented as a safety issue, not as a poltical one (i.e., they're not protesting US policy in Iraq, they're concerned about scheduling international travel during a war. Here's a somewhat longer piece on this:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/2003/02/10/japan_us/

 

on the us soccer players site it says that the likelyhood of japan pulling out of the match largely depends on the safety of the team while in the united states...i think the japanese FA is more concerned about the possibility of a terrorist attack than a political stance about the war in iraq.

 

Pussies.

 

Wrinkle for JPN v USA

Reuters is reporting that the Japanese government has threatened to call off their men's national team tour (consisting of all of two games) in the U.S. should their be an invasion of Iraq before the end of March.

I think their other game is against Uruguay somewhere on the West Coast

That would be a really fast invasion

 

I'm curious whether the position of the Japanese goverment is an ideologic opposition to a war with Iraq, or if they feel that the safety of their team would be in jeopardy from possible terrorist retaliation. Anyone know?

 

they are worried about the safety of their players.

they have not said anything about the invasion of iraq and a boycott, they are concerned about their team and the environment it would put them in with a trip to the united states if a war was ongoing and the possibility of a terrorist attack.

 

I would be about as angry as a person could be if they pull out. I've got non-refundable airline tickets and seats to the match. This better damn well come off as scheduled.

Kevin

 

Can't really blame them. If the US military attacks Iraq, you can bet your bottom dollar that there will be a terrorist attack somewhere in the US.

 

Like the threats when we invaded Afghanistan? Yup, you almost can't count all the terrorist attacks on the US since then... It's not like those psychos need a reason. I see no reason to drop the match. But, if Japan is even thinking about not coming I say we drop them NOW and find a team that WILL SHOW UP REGARDLESS!!! USSF owes us a match! I don't care if it's the fricking Netherlands Antilles! Hundreds and hundreds have already bought airlines tickets and match tickets, hotels, rental cars etc.

Kevin

 

JFA Chairman is in Paris for the Confederations Cup draw and he will discuss the matter with Zico this week. He has spoken with the Euro-based Japanese players who have said they will be willing to make the trip and there has also been discussion of having the matches in Japan. We should know more by the end of the week.

I don't expect anything to happen and I do want the game to go ahead. At the same time, I can understand JFA's wariness - if anything happens, the blame will be on them and they'll have the nightmare situation of explaining why they sent a group of high profile athletes to a nation at war.

 

So will the JFA pay my way to Japan for the match? I've already spent money to get to Seattle, and there better damn well be a match, with Japan, or a substitute team.

Kevin

 

other team

well, if Japan cancels both matches, it would stand to reason that Uruguay would be available for a match.

 

Well, they've had a little more time to prepare for these. At any rate, it would be a shame if they called it off, not to mention the losses to those flying out. Seattle's still a great place for a trip, game or no game. Any chance we can stir up some Seattlites to show Kevin a good time should the game fall through?


Guinho

 

this would piss the hell out of me, though i am visiting one of my best friends in seattle for that weekend and will still have a great time. (i've bought him a ticket to the game and he'd be having his "newby" experience to a nats game! he's a hoops and baseball fan.)

in case of an invasion of Iraq (as if there's any doubt at this point), u.s. won't be any less safe than any other country nowadays. terrorist attacks happen all over the globe for all sorts of reasons, and the japanese would truly be showing their true (lack of) character if they pulled out of this match.

i would think the ussf would/should schedule a replacement if at all possible. uruguay if need be, despite us having played them just last may.

for what it's worth, post-iraq invasion, this will increasingly become a huge problem no matter when or where the u.s. plays, as we will incresasingly become - rightly or wrongly - an international pariah (did i spell that right?), with many soccer federations choosing to avoid us if at all possible.

 

rain season

The tour of the downtown seattle underground is fun, Mt Rainer isn't very far away and the only rainforest in N.America is a must see.

 

Hey, I'm sure I'd get over not having the match, I'm just very frustrated it might not happen. Those who are saying there's plenty to do and see without soccer are correct, and I'd still have a great time anyway. Plus I'll get to make it to Yakima and Spokane to see some friends and family too. I'm just gutted there may not be a match though.

Kevin

 

OK, I appreciate the sarcasm, but on a more serious note, how many attempted terrorist attacks have there been in 9/11? We, the public, don't really know. I know there have at least a dozen attempts. Probably a lot more. That none have succeeded so far (as far as we know), does not diminish the fact that they are still being attempted. Eventually one of them will succeed.
The threat is still very real. But you knew that.

 

JFA Chairman Saburo Kawabuchi met with Zico in Paris and the word out right now is that they're 90% set on cancelling the trip if there is a war.
Nothing's set in stone yet and from what I understand, there haven't been any discussion yet with USSF or the organizers but it doesn't look good.

Like everyone else here, I want to see the matches happen and I seriously doubt anything will happen but I can understand JFA's position. If anything should happen, the blame will be on JFA - they had a chance to cancel the trip but decided to risk it anyway.
Sure, there haven't been any wartime terrorist attacks on US soil, but we don't exactly have a precedence for this type of war. JFA's would rather err on the side of caution, even if some might think it's extreme cautioin.

I understand the frustration of everyone that already bought tickets, but unfortunate things happen when there's a war. A cancelled sporting event isn't at the top of the bummer list.

 

Very true, when thousands of people possibly dying in a war, I think a scrubbed football match should be the least of our concerns.

 

Try telling anybody on this earth who's been through a war the "sacrifice" you had to make was missing a soccer game and let me know what their reaction is. You're lucky your home isn't under attack and you're relatively safe.

I was amazed by the reaction here when the Afghanistan bombing preempted a WCQ match and I'm still amazed by sentiments like these.

 

You're right, we should stop doing everything we normally do. Travel, fly, go to work, shop, go to the movies etc. Let's all stay home and quiver with fear. That's the best way to deal with these 3rd world clowns after all. Just let 'em rule and control our every move. Then they'll leave us alone for sure!

Kevin

 

Where did I say all of that?

Let me try to clarify my feelings for you.

Given the current global situation, being pissed about Japan not wanting to fly and play here due to safety considerations is laughable.

In light of the sacrifices other Americans are being asked to make I don't think your holding a non refundable airfare deserves much sympathy.

 

What sacrifices? The military are VOLUNTEERS! Frankly, the jokers running screaming to buy duct tape need thier heads examined. I think that not fulfilling commitments (like the match) shows a total cowardice. I say we withdraw from the Confederations Cup, Cancel the MLS and WUSA seasons, cancel the NBA, NHL and College basketball seasons, eliminate all theater performances and stop all work in highrise buildings, meetings in arenas and anything that might remotely be a target for attack. Only then can we be assured of being safe. Unless of course our water supplies are poisoned, or perhaps a chemical or biological agent is introduced, but we all know that that could only happen in the USA, and being in Japan or France would be totally safe wouldn't it? Caving in to these cretins is playing right into thier hands. There is absolutely no evidence to show any greater threat in a month or in a year than there is now.

Kevin