by Sportswriters Cao Jianjie and Yue Chenxing
MIAMI/TOKYO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Japanese football fans have once again drawn attention at the FIFA World Cup by collecting rubbish after matches, a practice that has become familiar to viewers abroad but has also sparked debate in Japan.
Images of supporters filling rubbish bags after games have circulated widely online, and FIFA recently praised Japanese fans on social media for cleaning the stands.
Yet the latest wave of attention has prompted some Japanese commentators to question whether the behavior seen at stadiums reflects everyday life away from the pitch.
A social media post viewed about 1.9 million times challenged the image often associated with the cleanups.
"Japanese men spend among the least time on housework internationally," read the post.
"Please do it at home," the post said, with a satirical illustration showing a fan who proudly cleans up the stadium is, in fact, relaxing on a sofa at home, oblivious to the pile of laundry and his wife or mother doing the dishes.
The criticism touched on a longstanding issue in Japan. Data from Japan's Cabinet Office, citing Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development figures from 2021, showed women spent 5.5 times longer than men on unpaid work, including domestic chores, shopping and caregiving.
The disparity was larger than in Britain, France and the United States, where differences between men and women were considerably smaller.
The discussion has gained traction because the image of spotless stadiums does not always align with other aspects of daily life. In some entertainment districts, cigarette butts can often be seen outside bars and restaurants after busy evenings.
For supporters of the cleanups, the practice reflects habits developed from childhood rather than a desire for public recognition.
Koichi Nakano, a professor of politics and history at Sophia University, said Japanese sports fans often behave at international events much as they did when they first learned sports at school.
Many elementary schools in Japan require students to clean classrooms and school grounds themselves. Similar expectations often extend into workplaces, where employees help maintain shared spaces.
Japan has relatively few public rubbish bins, and many people are accustomed to taking waste home rather than discarding it in public places.
Researchers caution, however, against viewing the behavior as evidence that Japan is free of social problems.
Barbara Holthus of the German Institute for Japanese Studies said it was important not to place Japanese society on a pedestal, noting that every country faces challenges and shortcomings.
She said social behavior is shaped by upbringing and by a desire to avoid creating inconvenience for others.
Another factor may be the attention the cleanups have received over the years.
Jeff Kingston, a history professor at Temple University's Japan campus, said widespread media coverage had helped turn the behavior into a source of pride for many supporters.
The debate generated mixed reactions online.
"Wives struggling with husbands who don't clean at all should have them wear Samurai Japan uniforms at home too," one comment said.
Others argued that broad conclusions about Japanese men were unfair and that the viral criticism relied on sweeping generalizations.
The discussion highlights a tension between a behavior that has earned recognition overseas and questions about how responsibility is shared at home, particularly within Japanese households. ■
