Tokyo (AFP) - Japan is ready to hold the 2022 World Cup if FIFA strips Qatar of hosting rights over corruption allegations, the country's football chief told AFP.

Japan Football Association (JFA) president Kuniya Daini said the country, whose capital Tokyo will stage the 2020 Olympics, would step in if required.

"If FIFA look for an alternative country, we already have the stadiums that would meet the criteria to host it," he said in an interview.

"We have the Olympics in 2020. If there is a chance, we'd like to do it, although I don't know how likely that would be."

The chance of Qatar losing hosting rights appears remote despite an investigation by FIFA's ethics committee, headed by former US district attorney Michael Garcia, into the much-criticised bidding process.

Qatar has also come under fire for its treatment of foreign construction workers, with figures obtained by AFP in February showing that 450 migrants from India alone had died over the past two years -- about 20 a month.

And there is a row over whether to hold the Qatar World Cup in the intense heat of the desert summer or in winter, which is mid-season for many domestic leagues.

Japan, one of the countries that lost out to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, has experience of organising the tournament after co-hosting the 2002 edition with Asian neighbours South Korea.

Japan reached the knock-out stages that year and again in 2010, and Daini said the team hopes to take another step forward by making the quarter-finals at this year's competition in Brazil.

"We are looking to perform better than we did the last time," said Daini at the JFA's Tokyo offices. "In South Africa we got to the last 16 so that means this time we want to reach the quarter-finals.

"That would be a successful result, but first we have to advance from the group stage. It's a difficult group, so that's the first aim."

- Asia's best chance in Brazil -

Daini said Japan also hoped to bring back the Club World Cup, which it has hosted six times before, and hold the 2023 Women's World Cup.

At this year's World Cup, Japan are considered as Asia's best chance with a squad that boasts Manchester United's Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda of AC Milan and Yuto Nagatomo of Inter Milan.

Daini said nothing had been decided about the future of Italian manager Alberto Zaccheroni, who will attempt to steer Japan through Group C against Colombia, Greece and Ivory Coast.

"We haven't decided anything regarding the manager's future yet. When the World Cup is over we will analyse everything and think about what kind of team we need to build for the next World Cup," he said. "When we know that, we'll know what kind of manager we need."

Daini also admitted he was shocked after a racist "Japanese only" banner targeting foreign fans was unfurled at Urawa Red Diamonds' Saitama Stadium.

The incident prompted the J-League to take the unprecedented step of forcing Urawa to play their next home game behind closed doors.

"After the Urawa incident I thought, 'So something like this has finally happened in Japan'," Daini said. "I thought that nothing like this could happen in Japan, so it was a shock.

"Japanese football and the J-League are known for being a safe environment with lots of women and children attending games, so this has created a dangerous image and lowered the prestige of Japanese football."

And he said unproven match-fixing suspicions, following unusual betting patterns on a March 8 game between Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kawasaki Frontale, were a wake-up call for Japanese football.

"With regards to the match-fixing suspicions, it was a good warning for if something were to happen for real. We all thought that something like this couldn't happen in Japan, but it showed us that it is possible and for that reason it was very effective," he said.

Japan's J-League has so far remained largely untouched by match-fixing scandals that have hit several neighbouring leagues. A J-League probe into the recent game found no evidence to indicate match-fixing

http://au.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/article/-/22275771/japan-ready-to-take-over-qatar-world-cup-jfa-chief-says/

Why aren't we saying this, or even having a presentable backup plan at the ready?

Yep we should be making noise about this, Its not like West Asia could hate us anymore more tbh.

Also does anyone with a better knowledge of japanese football know the deal about urawa fans and foreign supporters? i know some ultras groups in asia get touchy about them because they don´t know all the songs but i didn't think japan had this issue?

What sort of issue?

The US have come out and said pretty much the same thing

No idea why we haven't, especially since we came out threatening to sue not long ago. Although that was more on the date changes.

About 3 weeks ago The ultra fans for Urawa Reds unfurled a banner that read "Japanese Only" on their stand, this sort of tribal racism happens all around the world and Japan isn't immune.

However the Japanese FA acted swiftly to punish the club, Urawa Reds had to play their next home game behind closed doors. It might not sound that severe but no other FA have done this complete stadium ban over a banner which only appeared in one game.

Not only that, there is also a total ban of all banners and flags in the stadium indefinitely (which seems a tad excessive).

Yes it was disgraceful, but the Japanese FA should be applauded to acted so quickly to stamp out this kind of behavior.

Edited by metalfly: 31/3/2014 11:27:44 PM

The Japanese are just as racist as any other nationality - ie. there is a minority of racist pricks. I was refused entrance to a few restaurants and bars while there and was spat at for being white. Nothing to write home about, it exists everywhere.

Spanish votes at FIFA = Corruption? Can't see the link myself :-k

Coz 500k bribe brah.

-PB

You are obviously an asshole, sir.

Because as a back-up plan Japan and USA are far more prepared to spontaneously host a tournament than Australia is. It would just be wasting everybody's time.

They got (better, more) stadiums, but we've got (enough) stadiums ready to go too, but the difference is that we haven't hosted it in the last seven minutes. What's the problem?

Edited by paladisious: 4/4/2014 12:50:18 AM

INDEED - but then when have ethics got in the way for FIFA before, heck, that's what this is all about... There is a precedent too, unfortunately for us - Mexico hosting it twice within 16 years too (Or only three WC cycles apart) - They took over the 1986 hosting rights after the winning bid, Colombia, opted out due to financial constraints or some such. Interestingly, Mexico 'beat out' rival alternative bids from Canada (Who have still yet to host) and the USA (Who hadn't yet, but did soon enough in '94). So, again, that's not unlike our scenario - we could be another Canada... USA or Japan would have it and fck it, they can have it - after the degree we were screwed around and even 'burned' by this process, they can have it and we can 'earn it' via a hopefully fairer process down the track when we're even better prepared and even more experienced under a hopefully more reformed FIFA. Though yeah, I'm dreaming!

Edited by GloryPerth: 4/4/2014 01:28:48 AM

To be honest, there are a lot of shortcomings for Australia also. I think one of the biggest reason that US and Japan will hold the edge over us is that they represent much bigger football market.

At the same time, even in the long run Australia will lose out because football don't hold enough influence in the country. You look at the country like Qatar, in terms of football market it's even smaller than Australia, but they are absolutely football mad over there. The Qatari government gives full support for their FA, the wealthy and powerful individuals are more than happy to help the Qatari cause in whatever way they can.

Whereas in Australia, as a whole football is still the new kid on the block. When our FA don't have the fervent support from our Government and general public, they in turn wields much less political pull in the football world. When an European nation feels they've been slighted you have the entire nation from the bottom to the very top feeling outraged, whereas it's so much more subdued in Australia's case.

South Africa was in a similar situation to Australia but also quite different. 1, they have a bigger population and potential market than us, and 2. They are the best equipped African country to host a World Cup so their bid had the backing of the entire African contingent, whom consist of some very football mad countries which in turn holds more political pull in the FIFA scene.

No. No we don't.

We would need at least 8 venues spread over 7 cities, the best we can do is 6 over 5 cities, and even that requires the use of Subiaco and Adelaide Oval. The only way we be an emergency host would be to spend massively on infrastructure with no guarantee of any return.

Japan, on the other hand, have about 13 spread over 12 cities.

The USA has more than you could count.