JFA president Daini, vice president Tajima, secretary general Hara and Ogura honorable president visited the Japanese reclamation immigrants memorial monuments in Sao Paulo on Tuesday, 10th June, offering their flowers there.
The monuments enshrine about 500,000 Japanese reclamation immigrants, who died before achieving their ambitions, and some leading figures from Japan including the government officials have offered their flowers in the past. ''There are 1.6 million Japanese-Brazilians in Brazil and so many of us, including those who are enshrined in the monuments, root for the Japan national team. We hope all the best to team in the World Cup,'' said Motohashi Mikihisa, president of the Brazil-Japan prefectural association who guided the visitors.
Daini responded, ''We were explained the past for the predecessors and felt their pains of theirs. Also, there are so many Japanese people in Brazil, and we are thankful that the stadiums will provide us atmosphere like we play at our home. We would like to do out best so we can live up to the high expectations of all of you.''

After that, they attended a welcoming reception at the Japanese consulate general residence in Sao Paulo, and interacted with Mr. Umeda, Japan's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Brazil and people from Japanese organizations and corporations. Former J. league players, including Lopez Wagner, were also seen at the reception.
''Needless to say, Japan and Brazil have established special relationships and Sao Paulo is the center place where so many Japanese-Brazilian people have contributed to the Brazilian society. And for football, a lot of Brazilian players have come to Japan and contributed to the growth of the game. So the World Cup held in Brazil will be a special tournament for us.