By David Owen
August 13 – The Japan Football Association (JFA) has signed a memorandum of understanding with its Iranian counterpart, the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRIFF), as part of what appears to be an ongoing diplomatic offensive in the Asian region.
The announcement comes just a month after the signing in Hanoi of a similar partnership with the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF). Tashima Kohzo, vice president and executive general secretary at the JFA, said it was the body’s “prime objective for Asia as a whole to work together in unity and solidarity for the future of football in Asia”.
Japan and Iran were among the Asian nations who qualified for the recent FIFA World Cup in Brazil. While the continent’s representatives disappointed, failing to record a single victory, Iran performed at times with impressive discipline, coming within a late Lionel Messi wonder-strike of holding Argentina to a draw.
The vast region’s football politics have been riven with strife in recent times, however, with yet another Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Presidential election scheduled for next year.
Among areas of cooperation proposed under the latest agreement, which was signed at Tehran’s Iran National Football Academy, is women’s football, a branch of the sport in which Japan are the reigning world champions.
Futsal, IT and the prevention of match-fixing are also included on a long menu of items covered by the memorandum.
Daini Kuniya, JFA President, said he was “very honoured” by the partnership with IRIFF, “which has been a good rival as well as a good friend. This will surely strengthen the friendship and trust for each other”.
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