"SOCCER" IN JAPAN

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 149, 19 March 1919, Page 7

"SOCCER" IN JAPAN

Every vear tho Japanese schools aro becoming' keener on Association football, and although tho Japanese earns have not been successful against teams lroin China and' Manila, it is regarded hat lack of experience rather than tho effec. tiveness of skill was -responsible ior the loss of these matches. Sport of every kind has been-growing steadily during the past decade in the Far Fist, and games »n tho principle of the Olympic Games have beon hold. Last year the foremost among tho schools 'in Tokio, tho Higher Normal School, organised a three-day competition (m thoir ssliool ground. On the last rtav the Tokio Football Club was invited to'pav a match atjainst a picked Japanr-s team'and several. Imperial Princes wit„P«„l the match. A large crowd, of spectators was attracted by the game and much interest was evoked. Speaking during half-time the principal of the school said that he had been in Finland during Hie Olympic Game.? ot 1008 and bad watched with interest Hjo main- foci-ball games played there. He raid"tint he was convinced that the "«or.cer" gnmo was destined to become the national game of Japan, and that: he wa< doing all he could to make it nioro widely known. To accomplish this he was havinrr llm rules of the game, as laid down bv the Football Association, pnntwl in English and Japaneso and widely distributed*