Top �� What's up around the Prime Minister �� June, 2002

Prime Minister Attends the Final of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Sunday, June 30, 2002 (Photograph by Jiji Press) At the International Stadium Yokohama, the final match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan was held, and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi was in attendance to watch the final game between Brazil and Germany. The 2002 World Cup was the first to be held in Asia, co-hosted by Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), and for the course of one month attracted the attention of the world. Prior to the match at the entrance of the stadium, Prime Minister Koizumi greeted President Kim Dae Jung of the ROK, and praised the strenuous efforts of the national team of the ROK, stating, "It is wonderful that the 2002 World Cup has enjoyed such great success. I am happy that the national team of the ROK performed so well as to finish in fourth place." President Kim Dae Jung responded by stating, "The Japan national team was also excellent." Wearing a necktie of the same blue color as the shirts of the Japan national team, Prime Minister Koizumi went down to the grounds of the stadium before kickoff, shook hands with the players and offered them encouragement. Afterwards, the Prime Minister watched the match with Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of the Federal Republic of Germany, and cheered the players on enthusiastically. After the match, Prime Minister Koizumi stated, "Not only the Japanese players, but also the teams from foreign countries received warm support from Japanese people everywhere they went, and this above all was the greatest success."