LONDON/JAKARTA/PARIS -- The Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Japan, the first to be held in Asia, is the center of attention from around the world and expected to bring in about 500,000 foreign tourists.
In addition to the fierce battles on the pitch, the spotlight has also been trained on the culture and customs of Japan, which will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo next summer.
The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made a series of humorous videos, one of which urges visitors to make a fuss in a karaoke bar, instead of in the street. The videos aim to explain differences in customs and other areas for rugby fans who are going to Japan.
They recommend carrying plenty of cash, as British debit cards are not accepted in many local stores and restaurants. The videos also call on viewers not to get arrested or deported over the fact that some commonly used prescription and over-the-counter medicines in Britain are banned in Japan.
Japan's omotenashi hospitality is also drawing attention.
When the Welsh team had a practice session open to public in Kitakyushu, about 15,000 fans gathered at the venue. Japanese fans sang a Welsh song, which a Welsh news website reported as a wonderful moment. A local newspaper in Ireland reported in its Sept. 22 issue that many Japanese people in green jerseys sang a song for the Ireland side during its match [against Scotland], calling it very surprising.
British broadcaster ITV recorded the number of viewers at a maximum of 4.7 million during a match between England and Tonga. A match between Japan and Russia also drew many viewers at 1 million, indicating people in the country are highly interested in the tournament.
There are concerns in Europe about hot weather and traffic jams during the Tokyo Games next summer. But people's views about Japan seem to be increasingly positive thanks to the RWC.
The New Zealand Herald carried a story about a video in which All Blacks players explain Japanese traffic rules. The video clip was produced by an insurance company that is an official sponsor of the RWC. The video clip says stop signs in Japan are not octagon-shaped like those in New Zealand, but upside-down triangles, and that helmets are mandatory when you ride a motorbike in Japan.
Rugby is highly popular in France, which will host the next RWC in 2023. Every day in the country, matches are broadcast on TV and the internet.
When Japan beat Ireland on Sept. 28, AFP news agency reported the game as the "Shizuoka Shock," following the "Brighton Miracle" in which Japan defeated South Africa at the previous RWC.
French newspaper Le Monde carried a special article about Kamaishi, Iwate Prefecture, which was chosen as one of the match venues. Kamaishi suffered catastrophic damage from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
The French paper carried remarks by local residents about their desire for reconstruction. It also described the achievements of a corporate rugby team formerly named Nippon Steel Kamaishi, which won the Japan Rugby Championship for seven consecutive seasons, and explained the ties between the city and rugby.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
