Japan play for disaster victims

Japan’s national team beat a J-League XI in a charity match in Osaka to raise funds for victims of the country’s natural disaster.

Samurai Blue manager Alberto Zaccheroni started Stuttgart striker Shinji Okazaki, who was a victim of an earthquake in his homeland in 1995, and the goal scorer said the match – which Japan won 2-1 – was a chance for him to return assistance that he received when he was in trouble 16 years ago.

“I am alive now because the people around me helped me,” he said, referring to an earthquake that hit near Kobe in 1995.

“This time I want to help people as I experienced it. Today’s game is the first step in giving back.”

Vegalta Sendai is a Japanese club in one of the worst affected areas by the earthquake and tsunami, and Sendai midfielder Kunimitsu Sekiguchi said it was a burden off his shoulders to play for the Japanese people in need.

“It was March 24 when I first touched the ball this season. I couldn’t run enough today but I think it was worth it to play this game,” Sekiguchi said.

Kazuyoshi Miura, a 44-year-old Yokohama midfielder, said he proved critics of his age wrong by scoring in the exhibition match.

“I don’t like to talk about my age but always people ask me about it. I never give up so I wanted to show my heart with a goal,” Kazu said.