Experiencing the Excitement of the World Cup!

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is being held in North America. When I learned that Japan’s opening group-stage match would be against the Netherlands and that it would take place in Texas, USA, there was no way I could sit still and simply watch from afar. The moment I found out that Japan had advanced through qualifying and would begin their campaign in Texas, my fingers naturally moved to the keyboard. Before I knew it, I was already making arrangements for a trip to the United States to watch the match in person.

For me, traveling to the United States—where I lived for nearly two decades—feels almost like taking a walk. There is no mental burden at all. It is not unusual for me to throw a backpack over my shoulder and spend two or three days in America with the same mindset as traveling to Okinawa or Hokkaido. On top of that, I can work throughout the flight, so it does not interfere with my responsibilities at the company. The availability of in-flight Wi-Fi has been a tremendous benefit, allowing me to make full use of two laptop computers while traveling.

This time, I also had little concern about expenses. Since I prefer not to waste the company’s valuable resources, I planned the trip carefully. For the outbound flight, I used a complimentary ticket from Singapore Airlines to Los Angeles, then connected to Dallas on American Airlines. For the return trip, I planned to fly through JFK and use JAL mileage to return to Haneda. Fortunately, I was able to secure every flight using miles, which was a great relief. Above all else, I wanted to support the Japanese national team. Driven by that desire, I headed to America.

Why did someone who originally had no interest in soccer become this passionate about it? The answer is simple: I witnessed, in person, the historic showdown between Japan and Iran in Johor Bahru that earned Japan a place in World Cup history.

At the time, an audio equipment trade show was being held in Singapore, and coincidentally, the final round of World Cup qualifying was taking place nearby in Johor Bahru. If Japan won, they would qualify for the World Cup for the first time ever. There was no way I could pass up such an opportunity. I immediately booked a room at the Hyatt Hotel in Johor Bahru and discovered that I had secured one of the very last available rooms just before the entire hotel was reserved for the Japanese national team. It was truly a last-minute stroke of luck. As a result, I ended up staying in the same hotel as the team until just before the match. It was my first experience of that kind, and it was incredibly enjoyable.

The match itself turned into a fierce battle that went into extra time. Then, at the crucial moment, Masayuki Okano scored the winning goal. As twenty thousand spectators erupted in celebration and the stadium was swept up in excitement, I was there to witness it. The thrill of seeing Japan secure qualification for the World Cup remains with me to this day. Since then, even though I was never particularly interested in soccer, I have continued to support the Japanese national team.

And now, this match against the Netherlands. I was convinced that if Japan could win their opening game, their chances of winning the World Cup would increase dramatically. That was why I was so eager to support them. It was a match they absolutely could not afford to lose, yet the result was a 2-2 draw. Japan fell behind early, making it a difficult match, but the late equalizer was hugely significant. Kaoru Mitoma had been ruled out of the tournament after the injury, and Takefusa Kubo also appeared to suffer an injury during this match. Nevertheless, once Junya Ito entered the game, the pace of the attack improved and the team’s tactical options expanded. As a result, Japan managed to fight back and equalize. It was a nerve-racking match for spectators, but that is exactly what makes soccer so exciting.

I also heard that King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands watched the match together with Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan. The Netherlands and Japan have long enjoyed a friendly relationship, and I imagine the representatives of both nations were able to celebrate the hard-fought draw together with smiles. Moments like these demonstrate how soccer can strengthen friendship even at the national level.

The next match will be against Tunisia in Mexico. I hope Japan wins convincingly. Then, on June 25, they will face Sweden in Texas once again. Sweden is currently in excellent form and could prove to be an even tougher opponent than expected. For that reason, this match may well determine whether Japan advances from the group stage. If I can secure another special airfare, I might once again take a quick ‘walk’ to Texas. That is how important this match feels.

Perhaps it is because I have interests like sports that, even while working fifteen hours a day, I can still enjoy the occasional overseas getaway as a way to refresh myself. Life is interesting because of passions like these, not just because of work.

This trip also ended with one final unexpected incident. My JAL return flight was delayed by ten hours and was rescheduled to depart late at night and arrive at Haneda around 2:00 a.m. Apparently, a JAL aircraft had been reassigned to assist passengers affected by an incident on a European route, creating a shortage of aircraft and affecting the New York flight. Arriving at Haneda at two in the morning was far from ideal. Although my ticket had been issued using miles, I called JAL and requested a change to the following day’s flight. Fortunately, they accommodated my request without hesitation.

However, that flight was delayed as well. Instead of departing at the scheduled time of 1:35 p.m., it was expected to leave roughly two hours late. So, at 10:30 that morning, I got into an Uber and leisurely made the three-hour journey to JFK International Airport. Although I encountered traffic around New York, I still arrived about an hour before the revised departure time.

Then another problem arose. When I tried to check in, I could not find the JAL check-in counter anywhere! Confused, I asked at another airline’s counter and was told that JAL had already closed their counter and that the staff had gone home. Unbelievable!
Then someone from another airline pointed and said, “There’s a JAL staff member over there.” A person who appeared to be Japanese was standing a short distance away in a navy-blue suit. I hurried over and said, “I’d like to check in, please.” Unfortunately, I was told that check-in had already closed. Even so, he immediately called the office and attempted to process my reservation through a self-service terminal, but the system returned an error and nothing worked. Time continued to slip away. He made another call, rushed to the office, and eventually returned holding a boarding pass.

At that moment, I felt hopeful again. He then moved behind the counter and continued working by himself. Finally, he succeeded in issuing the ticket. To top it off, he escorted me through a VIP/staff passageway to security, and somehow I managed to board the aircraft.
Incidents like this are part of what makes travel enjoyable. Life is all about experience. I learned something new: even an hour before departure, there may be no JAL staff left at JFK. Online check-in should definitely be completed in advance.

Life is long in some ways and short in others. Whatever can be done today, whatever should be done today, should be done immediately. That has always been my philosophy, both in life and in business. If I do something, I do it thoroughly. If I support something, I support it wholeheartedly. If I work, I keep pushing until results are achieved. That approach has defined my life, and it will not change—from now until the day I no longer wake up.

Even though I know very little about soccer, I genuinely feel that Japan has a real chance to win the World Cup this time. And since the tournament is being held in the United States, where I spent my youth, there is no way I can stay away.