Japan guaranteed to clean up at the World Cup – here is why their fans leave stadiums spotless

The phenomenon of Japanese football fans meticulously cleaning stadiums after matches has become a global spectacle, a tradition that began at their first World Cup appearance in 1998 and continues to astonish observers worldwide. This remarkable custom, first noted in France, was evident at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and is expected to persist when Japan competes in upcoming group games in Arlington, Texas, and Monterrey , Mexico . It stands in stark contrast to the scenes often found in other stadiums, where spectators might navigate discarded food, wrappers, and overflowing cups.

The commitment extends beyond the stands; at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Japanese players famously tidied their dressing room after a defeat, leaving a thank-you note in Russian. Similarly, in 2022, fans expressed gratitude on rubbish bags in Arabic, English , and Japanese. The explanation for this behaviour is rooted in early socialisation.

From elementary school, Japanese children are taught to maintain cleanliness in all environments, whether classrooms, playgrounds, or sports fields. Koichi Nakano, a professor of politics and history at Sophia University, explained to The Associated Press. "Japanese sports fans at world events who clean up the stadium are behaving much the same way they did when they learned how to enjoy sports as school boys and girls,” he said.

Japanese fans will clean up World Cup stadiums this summer (AP) This ethos is encapsulated in the Japanese phrase "Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu," which literally translates to: "A bird leaves nothing behind. " In essence, the message conveyed in English is: "Return it the way you found it. " Many Japanese elementary schools operate without janitors, entrusting cleaning duties to students.