World Cup and history is just a month away

The Daily Yomiuri, Asia News Network, Tokyo

The kickoff of soccer's World Cup finals to be cohosted by Japan and South Korea is only one month away.

Though there are ballooning hopes for the event, the two countries should not overlook their heavy responsibilities.

The event will be characterized by a number of notable firsts. It will be the first World Cup finals in the 21st century, the first in Asia and the first to be cohosted by two countries. We sincerely hope that the event will be a safe and pleasant one.

It will be an exciting opportunity not only for soccer fans but also for other people to see the advanced techniques of the world's top soccer players with their own eyes while meeting sports fans from all over the world.

The number of spectators in Japan and South Korea is projected to be as high as 2.7 million, including about 400,000 visitors to Japan from overseas. During the previous World Cup finals in France, 1.5 billion people, or about one-fourth of the world population, watched the final match on TV.

As a gigantic sporting event surpassing even the Olympic Games, it is impossible for the World Cup to remain completely apart from world politics and economics.

The decision for Japan and South Korea to cohost the World Cup finals was a compromise reached because the countries' campaigns to invite the event had nearly developed into a state conflict.

Yet, according to a recent opinion poll jointly conducted by The Yomiuri Shimbun and South Korean newspaper Hankook Ilbo, about 51 percent of pollees in Japan and 49 percent in South Korea said that the cohosting of the World Cup finals will help improve the relationship between the two countries.

Prince and Princess Takamado are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup finals in Seoul on May 31. It will be the first time for a member of the Imperial family to officially visit the Korean Peninsula since the end of World War II. Prince Takamado is one of the Emperor's first cousins, and seventh in line to the throne.

We believe it is imperative to make use of the event to build a mature relationship between the two countries. Both countries need to prepare by demonstrating their unique qualities to lead the event to success. Such processes will certainly help the two nations establish a relationship looking to the future.

The recently announced insolvency of the German media group that had the exclusive television and radio broadcasting rights for both the 2002 and 2006 World Cup finals has prompted debates on the excessive commercialism of FIFA, soccer's world governing body.

While the Olympic Games are held in venues centering on one city, matches in the World Cup finals are held in a number of cities within a host country. Games will be held at 10 locations in Japan, and there are an additional 27 locations that will be used as training camps for participating teams.

One concern, demonstrated by a scare over potential riots by hooligans, is the need to fully ensure the safety of the events. Nearly 100 arrests and a number of injuries among policemen were reported in the previous World Cup finals in France. Some observers have even pointed to the specter of terrorism.

To tackle such concerns head-on, the nation will be put under a large-scale security system for a period of more than a month. Riot police are being equipped with new, upgraded helmets and shields, and plainclothes policemen will be deployed in soccer stadiums. The spectators' personal belongings will be closely examined at the entrance to each stadium. Therefore, each and every spectator is asked to cooperate with the authorities, making sure to arrive at the stadiums well before the games' scheduled opening times and to leave potentially dangerous items such as umbrellas at home.

It is often said that the World Cup is a window that links the world with the host countries. Knowing that the eyes of the world will be upon us, people are urged not to lose their self-control while enjoying the World Cup events. We hope people in Japan will be able to make use of this rare opportunity that was given to Asia in order to promote mutual understanding with countries worldwide.