Why This Topic Landed in Japan

The Korean broadcaster JTBC reported that the Korean Football Association (KFA), citing a government audit document, paid for red-light-district visits — several hundred thousand won at a time — for more than a dozen foreign referees who officiated seven matches, including World Cup Asian qualifiers, London Olympics qualifiers, and friendlies, between March 2011 and March 2012. Reposts noted that the referees' nationalities reportedly included Japan, the UAE, Iran, Bahrain, and Uzbekistan, and that Korea went unbeaten (five wins, two draws) across those seven matches.

For Japanese fans, the story fused two things: years of lingering distrust over calls in Korea matches — above all the 2002 World Cup — and the shock that Japanese referees might be on the list, which turned a foreign scandal into a question about the credibility of Japanese football itself. As of now the account rests on a single broadcaster's report; neither FIFA, the AFC, nor the KFA has confirmed it, and the leap many netizens make — that it proves past tournaments such as the 2002 World Cup were fixed — is not something the reporting establishes.

Key Reaction Themes

  • "So that explains it" — Many read the report as long-awaited confirmation of suspicious calls at the 2002 World Cup and other matches, reacting with grim vindication rather than surprise.
  • Worry about Japanese referees — Reports that Japanese officials may be among those hosted drew anxious, self-critical reactions ranging from "I pray none are Japanese" to "then Japan is an accomplice too."
  • Demands for institutional punishment — Calls for a full FIFA/AFC investigation and sanctions such as a World Cup ban, framed as restoring the fairness of the sport.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

JTBC's exclusive report on KFA "sexual hospitality" for referees

Reactions to the audit-based report that the KFA hosted foreign referees at qualifying and friendly matches.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch, 2ch, Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "There are Japanese referees on the list too — this is a huge deal."
  • "I just pray no Japanese are among those foreign referees."
  • "So 2002 really was fishy behind the scenes, huh?"
  • "Honestly this deserves way more of an uproar than it's getting…"
  • "Just ban them from the World Cup already."
  • "So they got handed an easy group on top of this? Piling on the favors and still losing — you have to laugh."
  • "The Reiwa-era comfort-women scandal."
  • "The Japanese referees took the hospitality too, lol — Japan's an accomplice as well."
  • "Are the Japanese referees in the clear?"
  • "At least their own broadcaster dug this up — different from Japan."
  • "The referees who went along with it are trash too."
  • "Korea's scum here, but the referees who accepted are garbage as well."