In a lively sports bar in Shanghai on Sunday, Chinese football fans enthusiastically supported Japan’s national team during their 4-0 victory over Tunisia in a World Cup group stage match, setting aside longstanding political tensions between the two nations. The match, highlighted by a headed goal from Japan’s Ayase Ueda, drew an intense wave of cheers from the crowd clad in blue jerseys.
Despite historical animosities and recent diplomatic strains under Japan’s hawkish Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who assumed office last year, the Chinese supporters gathered expressed a deep-rooted affection for Japanese football independent of current political issues. Fan, the group’s organizer, explained that members of his generation grew up influenced by Japanese cultural exports, particularly anime like “Captain Tsubasa,” which centers on a young football prodigy. He added that, as fellow Asians, many view Japan as embodying the pinnacle of Asian football achievement.
China’s national team has had limited success on the global stage, having qualified only once for the World Cup in 2002, where they lost all three matches without scoring. In FIFA rankings, China currently stands 91st, whereas Japan leads Asia at 16th. Fu Jinyu, a dedicated Japan supporter and author on the subject, attributes Japan’s success to a well-developed football infrastructure nurturing youth talent and fan engagement. In contrast, he noted, Chinese football remains in a state of uncertainty and underdevelopment.
Another supporter, Jasper Sun, echoed this sentiment, describing Chinese football as increasingly insular, lacking the openness and progressiveness of previous years. The Shanghai fan community considers itself “relatively open-minded and inclusive,” Sun said, citing positive experiences, including traveling to watch matches in other Chinese cities without facing conflict.
Nonetheless, while in-person support appears largely accepted within these circles, challenges persist online. Aki Yang, who manages a social media fan page for Japan’s national team from eastern China, reported frequent abuse targeting her loyalty. She recounted receiving hostile comments labeling her disloyal and shared how others advised followers to conceal Japanese insignia or avoid public displays of support to prevent embarrassment or confrontation.
Despite these pressures, the group in Shanghai cheered energetically as their favored team advanced, holding up a large Japanese flag and embracing the sport’s unifying power amid a complex political backdrop.