First Person Global.(fear of soccer hooligans in Japan)(Brief Article)

I was sitting in a coffee shop in the Susukino district of Sapporo, Japan, on June 6 talking with the owner about hooligans. England was scheduled to play Argentina the following day, so naturally our conversation turned to the possible arrival of the much-feared hooligans. "Do you really think they will come?" she asked me. "Do you think I should board up the large window facing the street?" It was late in the afternoon--the hour when, under normal circumstances, Susukino begins to come to life. But that evening, instead of the usual flashing neon signs and hordes of revelers, the streets looked almost deserted--except for the policemen standing on every corner.

Back inside the coffee shop, the owner eyed four England fans who were sipping tea and talking quietly. "I don't think they are hooligans," she whispered. "They look educated and intelligent." I struck up a conversation with them. Indeed, they were intelligent folks from Britain on vacation to experience Japan and watch a couple of World Cup matches. The owner soon joined in the conversation. "Why such a big fuss about hooligans?" she asked afterward.

Before the tournament began, I had been worried that Japanese people would be so scared to mingle with the foreign fans that they would miss out on all of the exuberant celebrations after each victory. Thankfully, the threat of hooliganism didn't materialize this year. In fact, the "most high-risk" fans, as England's supporters were labeled by some of the media, turned out to be some of the most friendly. The night after England's victory over Argentina in the first round, I strolled through Susukino to check out the scene. The streets had been invaded by Brits, all ...