Why does the Japanese national team clean its dressing room and the stands after matches, even in the event of defeat, as happened yesterday against Croatia?

A question asked by Al-Jazeera Net to two members of the technical and administrative staff and some fans of the Japanese national team to reveal the secrets of these civilized behaviors that non-Japanese do not do.

In the beginning, I met Al-Jazeera Net Kiriyama, the photographer of the Japanese national team after the penalty shootout defeat against Croatia, and asked him about the fact that the players clean the dressing room after the matches, so he confirmed that this happens in all matches and stadiums even after the defeat and the exit from the final price of the World Cup Qatar, and a group of players and some participate in the cleaning. Members of the technical and administrative staff as well, indicating that he participated a lot in the cleaning operations and that he cleans his workplace on the field.

Kiriyama pointed out that even smokers - and he is one of them - respect Japanese hygiene rules and do not throw cigarette butts in the street or anywhere, but rather make sure that the fire is well extinguished and throw them in the trash or keep them in the cigarette case until they find a trash can, and he practically represented that.

Photographers of the Japanese national team Kiriyama (right) and his colleague Kawasaki after the defeat against Croatia (Al-Jazeera)

His colleague Kawasaki, a photographer within the technical and administrative staff of the Japanese national team, said, "In our country, all citizens do this. Any drink or food they eat must clean up its residue," noting that the players clean their place on the bench as well.

He added, "There is a saying in Japan: Leave the place more beautiful than it was when you arrived. All Japanese have been brought up and disciplined to root this ideal in their practical lives since childhood."

Despite the loss against # Costa Rica .. the players of # Japan clean the dressing room after the match .. photos https://t.co/pnHZ6HrZf6 # World_Cup_Qatar 2022 # World Cup_Qatar_2022 # FIFAWorldCup # World Cup_Qatar pic.twitter.com/sSbvZv5FkJ

– Today’s news portal (@akhbarelyom) November 27, 2022

Kawasaki revealed to Al-Jazeera Net that the Japanese national team mission does what it does in the stadiums in the "Radisson Blu" hotel in which they reside, as everyone cleans and arranges their room daily, whether players or the technical staff, saying, "This is our culture that we have been brought up on and proud of."

Japanese Muslim Kayoko mediates her son and daughter after the Japan-Croatia match (Al-Jazeera)

"The Japanese apply the morals of Islam"

As for Kayoko, she is a Japanese Muslim who attended the match with her son and daughter, and answered Al-Jazeera Net's question, saying, "What happened from the fans in the Qatar World Cup takes place in daily life in Japan. Every person who eats, for example, puts the leftovers in his hand or his bag if he does not find a trash can, and Japan." There is no rubbish in the streets because this is a general behavior," noting that this gives a good impression on the Japanese people.

A group of Japanese fans clean the stands of Al Janoub Stadium after their national team was defeated by Croatia (Reuters)

Kayoko added, "These are the natural behavior of the Japanese, not only in the World Cup in Qatar, and everyone has seen it for many years in all major tournaments, the latest of which is the World Cup in Russia," stressing that "these are the morals of Islam and the Japanese apply them without knowing."

Heck, a Japanese journalist covering the World Cup in Qatar, said, "Cleanliness is part of our culture and behavior that we instill in children from childhood.

Japanese journalist Heck (Al-Jazeera)

As for the Japanese fan, Heisei, he monitors his personal experience by saying, "Every parent in Japan educates their children on cleanliness from a young age, as he cleans his room and the tools he uses, and also contributes to cleaning the house as well, so cleanliness becomes part of his lifestyle naturally and not artificially, as some believe."

Japanese fan Heisei (Al Jazeera)