Hosts of 2002 World Cup have work cut out for them<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): For officials of Japan and South Korea, joint
\nhosts of the 2002 soccer World Cup, trips between each other's
\ncapitals have become routine as they try to bridge more than the
\nstretch of water that separates them.<\/p>\n
\"We are optimistic but it's really a big challenge,\" said
\nTadao Murata of the Japan Organizing Committee for the FIFA World
\nCup Korea\/Japan (JAWOC), mindful of the enormous tasks to be
\ncompleted by June 2002.<\/p>\n
Some 50 people are at work full time at JAWOC's Tokyo
\nheadquarters. That will swell to 100 by April when they, along
\nwith soccer's world governing body FIFA, prepare the draws for
\nthe qualifying round.<\/p>\n
Five contact groups have been formed by JAWOC and its South
\nKorean counterpart, KOWOC.<\/p>\n
They will have to tread softly, Murata acknowledged, noting:
\n\"Japan and South Korea are so different and I think more
\ndissimilar than European countries between themselves.\"<\/p>\n
Ticket pricing has to allow for the much weaker purchasing
\npower of the Koreans as against the Japanese.<\/p>\n
Common logos, the sharing out of match fixtures and readiness
\nfor surprise moves from North Korea during the event are other
\nmajor sources of worry.<\/p>\n
In a show of goodwill, Tokyo and Seoul decided last month to
\nease some visa restrictions for the finals and form twin cities
\nof ten host cities in each country.<\/p>\n
\"Co-organizing such a big event needs very close co-operation
\nbecause differences can erupt over delicate situations,\" said
\nRene-Georges Querry, who officiated at France '98.<\/p>\n
In Tokyo to share experiences from that event, Querry said the
\norganization of transport between venues would be a major
\nproblem.<\/p>\n
\"Crowd control is important but could be limited in view of
\nthe traditional discipline that characterizes the two countries
\nand their distance from Europe and Latin America, the two major
\nregions from where hooligans travel,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Despite recent signs of a thaw, ties between Japan and South
\nKorea remain stuck in deep distrust. Differences are still
\nblocking a possible visit to Seoul by Emperor Akihito.<\/p>\n
President Kim Dae-jung said Thursday that it would not be
\nsuitable for the visit to take place after the World Cup but the
\nJapanese public thinks the opposite, opinion polls show.<\/p>\n
The emperor's visit has great significance as it would be the
\nfirst since a 35-year Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula
\nended in 1945. The period left behind scars too deep to be healed
\nby the exchange of goodwill that followed Kim's Japan trip in
\nOctober.<\/p>",
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