Japan using earthquake slideshows to fuel WWC run

The Japanese team has won over a lot of fans around the world over the course of their remarkable Women's World Cup run and it hasn't just been out of lingering empathy over the earthquake and tsunami that ravaged their country four months ago. The team's attacking style of play has drawn reflexive and innumerable comparisons to Barcelona throughout the tournament.

Their humility has also been an attraction. The team has routinely carried out a banner that reads, "To our friends around the world thank you for your support," in English, and bowed to the crowd after matches. And after beating Sweden to reach the final, the team's manager, Norio Sasaki told the press that his team is not due to receive a monetary bonus for winning the World Cup, they haven't talked about money, and like their American opponents, they are only playing for pride. He did say that if his federation wanted to give him a watch for reaching the final, that would be "a nice thing," though.

And now, up against a U.S. team that they have never won against in 26 matches, they once again assume the role of underdogs. But laced through those wonderful attributes is the still raw emotion over that natural disaster that killed more than 15,000 people. From the Guardian:

Before their quarterfinal against the hosts Germany, the Japan coach, Norio Sasaki, showed his squa! d a slid eshow of images of the devastation caused across the country by the tsunami.

They were images the players had all seen before most had lived through them just four months ago but the wounds are so raw that to revisit the event led to an instant reaction.

"They touched us deep in our souls," said midfielder Aya Miyama of the images that preceded a stretch of play that has been even more aggressive and tough play than before. And back in Japan, the much needed morale boost of a first Women's World Cup win seems to be more than just the average emotional exaggeration for a sappy story like this one.

From the New York Times:

"It will cheer up the whole country," said Daichi Miura, 22, whose home and hometown of Kesennuma were heavily damaged by the tsunami.

Given all that, you can see why any neutrals who aren't already fans of the lovable U.S. team might cheer Japan on Sunday.

Photo: Reuters