Japan Football Official Resigns Amid World Cup Controversy

Takeshi Okada, the vice president of Japan’s football association, resigned on Wednesday. He stated that the way the organization responded to recent World Cup controversies did not match his personal values.

Okada, who previously coached Japan during the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, made his announcement just a week after the head of Asian football expressed support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election as FIFA president. Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), showed this support during a meeting in Tokyo.

This backing came after the AFC had joined other football bodies in Europe and North America in criticizing Infantino for his proposal to allow private investors to take part in FIFA’s top competitions, including the World Cup.

Infantino has faced increasing pressure to resign and has lost support from some football associations as he runs for a fourth term. Okada, one of three vice presidents in the Japan Football Association (JFA), said he was leaving voluntarily. He emphasized the importance of integrity in sports and expressed that he could not accept the recent responses related to the FIFA World Cup.

Okada noted that he made his decision after careful consideration, acknowledging the need to align with the AFC’s stance for the benefit of Japanese football. He recognized the practical reasons for maintaining a good relationship with the AFC.