The Japanese juggernaut finally came to a halt in the face of a South African roadblock on Sunday. The sequel to the Brighton miracle lacked the drama and romance of four years ago but this, according to their fans, was when the Brave Blossoms truly came of age against the world rugby elite.
“I think South Africa looked down on Japan four years ago but today they knew they had to be at their best, and that’s a huge compliment to Japan,” said Shigeki Takagi, a company worker from Tokyo who had just witnessed his country play in a World Cup quarter-final for the first time. “We’ve beaten Ireland and Scotland and now I think we’re getting really close to the level of the northern hemisphere teams. Who knows what could happen four years from now?”
Susumu Shiratori wiped away tears after the final whistle. “I’m overcome with emotion,” said Shiratori, who had travelled from his home in Shizuoka prefecture, scene of Japan’s first upset of the tournament, against Ireland in the pool stage. “We may have lost to South Africa but we’ve moved to another level. Beating Ireland and Scotland was one thing – now we want to do the same to England and Wales.”
Shiratori confessed he had only recently taken an interest in rugby, but he was not alone. “Everyone’s a fan now,” he said. “It’s such a great sport. The way the players hit each other hard but then show sportsmanship at the end. And the same goes for the visiting supporters – they have been so friendly. It’s been an honour to watch rugby with them.”
The home contingent among the crowd of more than 48,000 spanned all generations – there were middle-aged couples, groups of teenagers and parents cradling children who may have just been old enough to remember the night that Japan’s extraordinary run came to a noble end. There were as many women as men.
Together, they improved even on last weekend’s rendition of Kimigayo. TV viewing figures have increased with each of Japan’s matched and so too, it seems, has the decibel count for the host nation’s national anthem.
It is too early to talk convincingly about legacy before the semi-finals have been played, but on the evidence of Sunday night, Japan’s commitment to rugby will endure long after the final on 2 November.
“We’re so proud of them for getting this far,” said Saho Kitawaki, a senior manager for a firm in Tokyo, said of captain Michael Leitch and his team. “Japan’s win over South Africa four years ago was big for rugby, but no one thought it would get this big. They may have lost tonight but they have made history.”
Takafumi Tamura, who has followed rugby for a quarter of a century, said: “This is way more than we were expecting, so I’m not sad at all, even though we lost. This was another step forward, and now I can’t wait for the World Cup in France.”
Before and after the match, the home fans again showed why the South Africa coach, Rassie Erasmus, felt moved at the end of his press conference to pay tribute to them and their team. Some had sung the South African national anthem, helped by lyrics printed in katakana phonetic script. And at the end, they clapped the victors off the pitch and struck up conversations with traveling supporters.
Japan’s status as every neutral’s second team was evident on the streets around the stadium, where fans in Ireland and France shirts sported temporary Hinomaru tattoos and hachimaki bandanas. They bore the kanji characters for tokon (fighting spirit); hissho (victory); and kamikaze (divine wind). Not all of them were the right way up, but none of the local fans seemed bothered in the slightest.
On the eve of the quarterfinal The Yomiuri Shimbun – a conservative broadsheet not given to editorialising about rugby – said Japan had proved they have the ability to beat tier one teams and, as Erasmus confirmed, can give the best sides in the world genuine cause for concern.
“Japan’s feat is drawing attention as an outstanding achievement that changes the rankings of rugby teams in the world, in which those from Europe and the Southern Hemisphere are ranked high,” the newspaper said.
And there was little you could dismiss as hyperbole in Bill Beaumont’s pre-match comments. “Japan 2019 is already one of the greatest Rugby World Cups, characterised by the incredible warmth and support of the Japanese public,” the World Rugby chairman said. “These figures reflect the power of sport to unite a nation, the awakening of Japan to rugby and how the heroics of the Brave Blossoms have captured hearts and minds around the world.”