TOKYO: Japan’s foreign ministry has issued a warning to football fans, advising them against attempting to travel to North Korea for the upcoming World Cup qualifier in Pyongyang on March 26. The ministry strongly urged the general public to refrain from attending the match, citing North Korea’s hostile stance towards Japan.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Tokyo foreign ministry highlighted North Korea’s antagonistic view of Japan and emphasized that travel to the country is not recommended for the safety of individuals.
The upcoming match between Japan and North Korea marks the first time the two sides will play in Pyongyang since 2011. While Japan has long advised its nationals against traveling to North Korea due to strained diplomatic relations, it does not explicitly prohibit them from doing so.
Despite the advisory, it remains unclear how many fans, if any, will attempt to travel to North Korea for the match. Any individuals wishing to attend would need to obtain a North Korean visa.
However, the Japan team will be accompanied by fourteen government officials for the match, along with a small number of media outlets, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.
Tensions between Japan and North Korea have been ongoing, with historical issues such as Japan’s occupation of the Korean peninsula and Pyongyang’s missile tests over Japanese territory contributing to strained relations. Additionally, the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korean agents in the past has been a significant point of contention between the two countries.
In contrast, the match scheduled in Tokyo on Thursday is expected to draw a sizable contingent of North Korean supporters from Japan’s ethnic Korean community, consisting of approximately 300,000 individuals, many of whom are descendants of civilians taken during Japan’s colonization of the Korean peninsula.
