Japanese men urged to help at home, not just clean World Cup stadiums

Japanese football fans have once again earned international praise for cleaning up stadiums after World Cup matches, but a viral social media post in Japan has sparked a debate by questioning whether the same effort is being made at home.

Images of supporters of Japan’s national team, known as Samurai Blue, collecting trash and tidying stadium stands after games have circulated widely online. FIFA even praised the fans on X, describing their actions as an example of “impeccable manners” and sportsmanship.

However, the celebrations were met with criticism from some social media users in Japan. One viral post, viewed nearly two million times, pointed out that Japanese men spend among the least amount of time on household chores compared to men in many other countries.

https://x.com/ofootball__/status/2066297273274024157?s=46

“Please do it at home,” the post stated, alongside a satirical illustration showing a football fan enthusiastically cleaning a stadium while later relaxing on a sofa at home, ignoring household tasks being handled by his wife or mother.

The criticism is supported by government data. According to Japan’s Cabinet Office, citing 2021 OECD statistics, Japanese women spend 5.5 times more time than men on unpaid work, including housework, shopping, and caregiving responsibilities. The gender gap is significantly wider than in countries such as Britain, France, and the United States.

While many view the stadium clean-up tradition as evidence of Japan’s strong sense of community and respect for public spaces, others argue that it can appear somewhat performative if those same values are not reflected in daily life at home.

The viral post triggered mixed reactions online. Some users agreed with the criticism, with one commenter joking that husbands who avoid housework should wear Samurai Blue jerseys around the house as well.

Others argued that the criticism unfairly stereotypes Japanese men. “This is too much of a generalisation—not all Japanese men are like that,” one user wrote.

The debate has highlighted a broader conversation in Japan about gender roles and the unequal division of household responsibilities, even as the country’s football fans continue to receive admiration worldwide for their behaviour in stadiums.