TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Just days into the 2026 World Cup, global spectators have already turned their eyes to an interesting moment. Outside of the 2–2 draw between the Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium in Texas, Japanese fans were in the spotlight once again for their post-match gesture.
Typically, once the final whistle blows, stadiums are left littered with food trays and empty drink cups. Interestingly, Japanese supporters stayed behind to clean it all up.
This may seem rather a contrast to what the majority of sports fans would do, but for the East Asian nation, it’s a long-standing habit. As early as the 1998 World Cup in France, the Japanese had already been practicing this tradition. The practice has been repeated at every World Cup since, most recently in Qatar in 2022.
According to ESPN, the Japanese follow the philosophy of "Tatsu tori ato wo nigosazu," which translates to "a bird leaves nothing behind." The Independent further reported that the habit has been observed at various events beyond the World Cup and has become ingrained in Japan's culture of courtesy and respect.
Only minutes before being used for cleanup, the blue bags were seen waving in celebration after Daichi Kamada scored in the 88th minute, as noted by AP News.
Read: 2026 World Cup: Japan Hold Netherlands 2-2 After Late Daichi Kamada Equalizer
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