Urawa Reds play to empty stadium after fans banned for racist banner

[AKCJ]

 

 

Japan's best-supported club Urawa Red Diamonds played in an empty stadium on Sunday after fans were banned for racist behaviour.

 

 

The J-League match with Shimizu S-Pulse was watched by just a handful of journalists and security staff in Urawa's 63,000-seat Saitama Stadium.

 

The one-game ban was punishment for a "Japanese only" banner put up by fans before the last home game on 8 March.

 

Before the game Urawa players wore shirts pledging to combat racism.

 

The club's captain, Japan international Yuki Abe, also read a statement regretting the racist banner, which was written in English and hung over the stadium entrance.

 

The statement said: "Urawa Reds, as a member of the football family, pledge to fully abide by Fifa's vow to stamp out racism, be it discrimination against race, skin colour, gender, language or religion or background, and will not tolerate any discriminatory or insulting language or behaviour."

 

It is the first time in the 20-year history of the J-League that a match has been played at a stadium closed to fans.

 

J-League chairman Mitsuru Murai said the banner had "damaged the brand of not just the J-League, but of the entire Japanese football community."

 

Urawa Reds, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Shimizu, have an average home crowd of more than 37,000 for J-League matches.

 

European governing body Uefa ordered the partial closure of CSKA Moscow's stadium in the autumn following racist chanting directed at Manchester City's Yaya Toure.

 

The Russian club was charged after Toure complained about the chanting during City's 2-1 Champions League win on 23 October.

 

 

Note our Yuki is captain.

 

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26704368

[leicsmac]

Extreme nationalism of this type of this type is something of a problem in many countries in the Far East, They're a lunatic fringe, but they're very good at using the Internet to organise themselves and try to spread their racist message.

[Guest MattP]

Can you blame them when they can probably see what's happening across the rest of the world.

Japan seems a fantastic place, let's hope it stays that way.

[leicsmac]

Can you blame them when they can probably see what's happening across the rest of the world.

Japan seems a fantastic place, let's hope it stays that way.

 

It is and it is, but that still doesn't excuse the supremacist bigotry that crops up from time to time.

 

I love the place, but it seems that that and a lack of facing their own really bad people in history is prevalent amongst the more hardline Japanese population. It can be an issue every so often over here too, come to that.

[bovril]

Can you blame them when they can probably see what's happening across the rest of the world.

Japan seems a fantastic place, let's hope it stays that way.

 

You can be proud of and preserve your traditions without denigrating others. And it's a football match ffs, the most global sport in the world (pretty sure it's not a Japanese tradition). I've always thought it was a bit thick shouting xenophobic nonsense when you''ve willingly paid good money to watch a multi-national team probably owned by a foreign businessman being watched in several countries round the world.

[Strokes]

Is it really racist? They don't seem to be picking on a particular race.

[MooseBreath]

Who are they against? The chinese? Westerners?

[leicsmac]

Is it really racist? They don't seem to be picking on a particular race.

 

It's racially supremacist looking to denigrate every other race, which pretty much amounts to the same thing.

 

Who are they against? The chinese? Westerners?

 

Pretty much everyone who isn't Japanese. Not really aimed at any one demographic.

[Alf Bentley]

Is it really racist? They don't seem to be picking on a particular race.

 

Oxford English Dictionary:

"Racism": "(Belief in, adherence to, or advocacy of) the theory that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, qualities etc, specific to that race, esp. distinguishing it as inferior or superior to another race or races; prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism based on this".

 

Racism doesn't have to be directed against a particular race. The extremists are clearly implying that all other races are inferior to the Japanese in some way and therefore unwelcome. Would you find it acceptable if you went to a match in Scotland to be greeted by a big banner saying "Scots only"?

[Strokes]

Oxford English Dictionary:

"Racism": "(Belief in, adherence to, or advocacy of) the theory that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, qualities etc, specific to that race, esp. distinguishing it as inferior or superior to another race or races; prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism based on this".

Racism doesn't have to be directed against a particular race. The extremists are clearly implying that all other races are inferior to the Japanese in some way and therefore unwelcome. Would you find it acceptable if you went to a match in Scotland to be greeted by a big banner saying "Scots only"?

But are they saying their race is better? If I wanted the next England manager to be english and put a banner out saying, no foreign managers, would that be racist?

[Strokes]

Judging by that definition of racist, everyone I have ever met is racist. Races do bear qualities and characteristics in my opinion. Whether that is nature or nurture I don't know.

[Alf Bentley]

But are they saying their race is better? If I wanted the next England manager to be english and put a banner out saying, no foreign managers, would that be racist?

 

They are clearly implying that their race only is welcome at the stadium and that other races are different in some way that makes them unwelcome. Of course, maybe they just have a massive inferiority complex and are too shy to face other races....

 

If you wanted the next England manager to be English, that would technically be racist as you'd be making race an important criterion. Wouldn't necessarily make it wrong, though. While racism is usually wrong, it isn't always. Most major football nations still have a manager from their own country. There might be a legal issue if a job ad went out saying "English only", but I'm sure nobody would bat an eyelid provided it was less explicit.

 

Judging by that definition of racist, everyone I have ever met is racist. Races do bear qualities and characteristics in my opinion. Whether that is nature or nurture I don't know.

 

People of the same race may often share certain characteristics, particularly cultural preferences and ways of behaving, but not every person of that race. Likewise, people of different races can be similar.

 

Did Adolf Hitler (OK, Austrian, I know) have more in common with the German Karl Marx or with the British Oswald Mosley?

From interviews, it amuses me how different in personality Knockaert & Mahrez are: Knocky seems bubbly and emotional, whereas Mahrez seems calm and serious. Liberace and Mike Tyson are/were both American. Ray Winstone and Julian Clary are both English....

[Strokes]

They are clearly implying that their race only is welcome at the stadium and that other races are different in some way that makes them unwelcome. Of course, maybe they just have a massive inferiority complex and are too shy to face other races....

If you wanted the next England manager to be English, that would technically be racist as you'd be making race an important criterion. Wouldn't necessarily make it wrong, though. While racism is usually wrong, it isn't always. Most major football nations still have a manager from their own country. There might be a legal issue if a job ad went out saying "English only", but I'm sure nobody would bat an eyelid provided it was less explicit.

People of the same race may often share certain characteristics, particularly cultural preferences and ways of behaving, but not every person of that race. Likewise, people of different races can be similar.

Did Adolf Hitler (OK, Austrian, I know) have more in common with the German Karl Marx or with the British Oswald Mosley?

From interviews, it amuses me how different in personality Knockaert & Mahrez are: Knocky seems bubbly and emotional, whereas Mahrez seems calm and serious. Liberace and Mike Tyson are/were both American. Ray Winstone and Julian Clary are both English....

yeah I agree with pretty much all of that, what I am saying though is we are assuming racist/derogatory intent, without any of the motives being published. For example if they were talking about it having a detremental impact on the national team. Its still racist by definition but not nasty. There are quite a few grey areas in the racist area and the boundries aren't always clear to me.

[Alf Bentley]

yeah I agree with pretty much all of that, what I am saying though is we are assuming racist/derogatory intent, without any of the motives being published. For example if they were talking about it having a detremental impact on the national team. Its still racist by definition but not nasty. There are quite a few grey areas in the racist area and the boundries aren't always clear to me.

 

Yep, there'll always be grey areas. For most jobs, any person of any race/nationality should be free to apply, provided that they have the legal right/immigration status to do so. For certain jobs (e.g. monarch, PM, England football players), foreigners would be unacceptable. For others, like England manager, it's a grey area. If possible, I think the England manager should be English as he has a representational role vis-a-vis the public....but if the only English managers were rubbish, I'm not sure that I'd mind a top foreign manager being appointed. Likewise, if an England manager chose to appoint a good foreign coach or physio.

 

Re. the Japanese banner: Do we need to know the precise motives? It was clearly a deliberately unfriendly act based on race... just as it would be if the Scots hoisted a banner saying "Scots only" above Hampden, or if you were there as an England away fan, would you be quite happy walking in under that?

[Finnegan]

Who are they against? The chinese? Westerners?

The older Japanese do have a strong insular sentiment.

The younger generations are very pro-western (though still have a lot of ill feeling for their fellow Asians!!) but the older population still maintain a very deeply rooted mistrust for the outside world.

It's funny, you could be born and raised there but everyone would still talk to you in English - whether you speak it or not - and refer to you as gaijin. This is normal. It's something most westerners out there accept with a hint of humour and self awareness, in my experience. We certainly found it quite funny.

It's a country that has been trying to cut itself off for most of it's history so it isn't surprising.

[DB11]

But are they saying their race is better? If I wanted the next England manager to be english and put a banner out saying, no foreign managers, would that be racist?

 

Well yeah. You're implying that other managers are inferior based on their race and not their ability.

[Finnegan]

Well yeah. You're implying that other managers are inferior based on their race and not their ability.

Hm, it's not necessarily about inferior.

It's Japan, not North Korea. They're not all insane and brain washed. They know that Jose Mourinho and Lionel Messi are better than anything and anyone Japanese.

It's about cultural influence and a deep rooted mistrust of foreign practices and manners. You've only got to look at a lot of Japanese fiction to see the fears they have of western culture corrupting their youth, etc.

[ScouseFox]

remember yuki abe, he was sound. should never have got rid of him. 

[Strokes]

Well yeah. You're implying that other managers are inferior based on their race and not their ability.

I'm not implying anything of the sought, that's the problem I have with this. Its doesn't say what their motive are, we are just assuming them.

[Stadt]

remember yuki abe, he was sound. should never have got rid of him.

I miss him, but he was a novelty.

[Guest MattP]

It's about cultural influence and a deep rooted mistrust of foreign practices and manners. You've only got to look at a lot of Japanese fiction to see the fears they have of western culture corrupting their youth, etc.

Probably something in that though, I absolutely despise what American culture has turned some of our youth into, nothing wrong with being concerned about that.

[Samilktray]

Probably something in that though, I absolutely despise what American culture has turned some of our youth into, nothing wrong with being concerned about that.

And what exactly has American culture turned the youth into?

[MC Prussian]

Pretty much everyone who isn't Japanese. Not really aimed at any one demographic.

I find this an interesting debate. I've only heard about this a few times and I can see that some Japanese can be racist in an extrovert kind of way (just like any other nation), but is the Japanese society per se intrinsically racist, as well?

I would like to think of Japan as a country with rigid immigration laws in order to protect its culture and labour market. Besides, Japanese isn't an easy language to learn (with three different writing systems - Hiragana, Katakana and Romaji - sometimes combining all three at once).

Is it "racist" in an arrogant kind of way, putting all things Japanese above all other, foreign products or is it aggressive, active racism? I can but assume that the younger generation in particular holding no grudge against "gaijins" at all.

 

Can Japanese in general be labeled "racist" in our Western terms or would we be rather off ceding to denounce a society on the whole? I've read a bitter article about a month ago by a Swiss journalist living in Japan, essentially describing how he hated the treatment by the locals. I suppose the more you're willing to integrate yourself into the Japanese society, the better off you are - although as a foreigner, you'll never be like one of them, in particular in Japan, because it's so different in terms of culture.

[Guest MattP]

And what exactly has American culture turned the youth into?

Not all obviously, but you see some appalling sights that are a direct influence of it.

I imagine you to be one of these wiggas who wanders around town with his trousers around his ankles.

I couldn't list all the aspects of it, you can start with Friends Speak, Yolo and the Karsashians if you want to and work your way down.

[MC Prussian]

And what exactly has American culture turned the youth into?

Basically, zombies and very poor copycats:

Wannabe-gangsters, wannabe-rappers, wannabe-stars, wannabe-famous, etc. ... you name it.

 

The amount of people not critically looking at the output from the States and accepting it as gospel is mind-boggling.