Japan football players want bigger rewards: report

Japan’s football stars are considering boycotting international matches unless the national association improves bonuses and other conditions, a daily said Saturday.

Lawyers for the Japan Football Association and the Japan Pro-Footballers Association (JPFA) have been negotiating without progress on players’ demands, the Nikkan Sports said.

The FA has yet to give a “concrete answer” to the demands, which were in place before this year’s World Cup in South Africa, JPFA lawyer Taisuke Matsumoto told the daily. “We must think about our next move.”

Matsumoto said the players cannot walk out on World Cup qualifiers and other official tournaments. But the daily said it is highly possible that they would boycott international friendlies.

The lawyer is to hold a meeting with the players on December 27 to discuss their next move when they start a training camp at home for the January 7-29 Asian Cup in Qatar, the Nikkan Sports said.

They are also seeking salary guarantees for injury sustained in internationals, as well as their image rights.

Japan’s players are paid no appearance money but are given a daily allowance of 10,000 yen (120 dollars) for taking part in an international. A win or draw gives them a bonus payment which is decided on the ranking of the opponents.

The bonus was 150,000 yen each for the 1-0 friendly win over Paraguay on September 4 and 200,000 yen for the historic 1-0 upset of powerhouse Argentina on October 8, both at home, the daily said.

It was 50,000 yen for the October 12 goalless away draw with South Korea.

The Japanese players would have pocketed 100,000 yen each if they had won the match, compared with a victory bonus set at three times that for the South Koreans, the Nikkan Sports said.

“The FA hasn’t changed the amounts of payments since the 2002 World Cup,” an anonymous veteran international was quoted by the daily as saying.

“Of course, everyone tries to work hard for the country and themselves. But everyone is a professional and they are staking their life on every match. I want the FA to rate us as other countries do.”