mín zú zhǔ yì民族主义biǎo yǎn表演hái shì还是wǔ shì dào武士道chuán tǒng传统：2026 nián2026年guó jì zú lián国际足联shì jiè bēi世界杯rì běn日本qiú mí球迷qīng lǐ清理kàn tái看台yǐn fā引发zhēng lùn争论
Photos of Japanese fans cleaning the stands after matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup have gone viral again.
Many foreigners praised them for being polite and respectful of public spaces, but different opinions emerged in Japan.
Some people think this is just to get praise from foreign media.
They also ask: why do some Japanese men pick up trash at stadiums, but do so little housework at home?
Trash bags printed with “Japanese Pride” also make it feel like a form of nationalist publicity.
Supporters, however, believe that cleaning up the venue comes from Japan’s samurai tradition.
Bushido values self-discipline and respect for opponents, and it also emphasizes reflecting after victory and giving thanks after defeat.
Japanese people often say that you should leave a place cleaner than when you arrived.
Some fans also said they do not pick up trash only once every four years; they do it after every game, but usually no one notices.
Perhaps the real issue is not the trash picking itself, but whether a quiet good habit should be turned into a national performance for the world’s cameras.