It’s “Dumpling Diplomacy” for the Japanese Soccer Team

Let’s say you’re Japan. Relations with your huge, powerful neighbor are always a bit strained, but they’ve become moreso recently since dumplings made by this neighbor sickened your fellow countrymen. (Thousands of people have reported feeling ill, but only ten cases have been specifically linked to Chinese dumplings.) Some reports are saying the poisonings were intentional.

How do you respond to this international incident? By requiring your soccer team to eat dumplings.

Dumplings imported from China contaminated with pesticide triggered a recent food scare in Japan and has become an emotive issue in already sensitive Sino-Japanese diplomacy.

But Japan’s soccer chief wants his players to act as ambassadors for the country when they play at the Feb. 17-23 tournament in Chinese city of Chongqing.

“I want them to help improve relations between Japan and China,” Japan Football Association president Saburo Kawabuchi told reporters.

“At the welcome party, I’ll be asking them to eat the dumplings.”

Way to take it for the team, guys. Because playing soccer is never really about playing soccer.

In this case, it’s all about the dumplings.

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Category: Asia, World Football