Japanese supporters showcase national pride by tidying up World Cup arena

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Japan supporters leave the tribunes after the 2026 World Cup Group F football match between the Netherlands and Japan at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington on June 14, 2026. (Photo by Aric Becker / AFP)

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Japan fans left the stands spotless after their World Cup opener against the Netherlands in Texas on Sunday, saying it was “Japanese culture” to tidy up after themselves.

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Spectators stayed behind after the 2-2 draw to make sure they left the stadium as they found it, meticulously picking up litter and stuffing it into blue plastic bags.

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It is a habit first learned at primary school and Japan fan Eita Tanaka told AFP that “we have to think about everyone”.

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“Japanese people think that when we use a certain place, we were told that you have to make that place look tidier when you leave than it was when you arrived,” said the 20-year-old, clasping a beer and a couple of cups, and wearing Japan’s blue shirt.

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“For example, at school in our classrooms we tidy it up after ourselves without our teacher telling us.”

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Japan are appearing at their eighth straight World Cup and their fans’ cleanliness has become their international calling card.

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NFL quarterback Jameis Winston could even be seen joining in the clean-up after Sunday’s game, wearing a blue Japan shirt with his name on the back.

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Japan fan Futo Hagiwara said he was proud that the behaviour of his countrymen had been recognised in a positive light.

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“This is our culture, that means everywhere we go we need to clean it after ourselves, it’s our spiritual way, our attitude,” he said.

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Sociologist and philosopher Masachi Ohsawa believes a mix of social responsibility and peer pressure is behind the fans’ behaviour.

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“While Japanese people tend not to take much interest in justice on a large scale — issues like global inequality, conflict or climate change — they are extremely sensitive to moral considerations on a smaller scale,” he said.

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“When it comes to people who they share the same space with or have direct personal contact with, they feel a strong desire not to cause them any trouble or make them feel uncomfortable.”

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– School of life –

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Cleaning chores are a part of Japanese education from an early age, and children can be seen scrubbing floors and tables at schools every day.

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Public waste bins are scarce in the country, and people are expected to take their rubbish home with them.

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Getting rid of household waste can be a labyrinthine task that involves separating rubbish into different categories.

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Scott North, emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Osaka, said he and his neighbours get together twice a year to pull out weeds and rake up cuttings.

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He said such groups are organised into leaders and followers, and operate in a similar way to Japanese football supporters.

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“Since everyone comes together, there’s an expectation that they’ll act as a group,” said North, an American who has lived in Japan for about 40 years.

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“And when the leaders break out the bags and say here you go, nobody is going to say no.”

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Sociologist Ohsawa said such behaviour could be explained by what Japanese people refer to as “reading the air”.

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“In Japan, even if one person starts picking up litter, those around them feel they simply cannot help but join in,” he said.

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“That’s because if they don’t, the people they are with will think they are a bad person.”

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He said peer pressure was a powerful social force.

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“In this case, the primary motivation isn’t so much a desire to keep the stadium clean or to avoid causing trouble for the people who have to clean the stadium afterwards,” he said.

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“It’s more a desire not to be seen as a nuisance in one’s own group.”

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Whatever the reasons, Japan’s fans will keep tidying up for as long as they stay in the tournament.

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Their next game is against Tunisia in Mexico on Saturday, and fan Hagiwara is happy to keep leading by example.

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“We usually don’t tell children they should do it,” he said.

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“We just show our actions and behaviour, and other people follow.”

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