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WORLD CUP JAPAN

ACCOMODATION ALERT!!!
As of today, many hotels in and around World Cup venues are fully booked. There are still some rooms available in neighbouring cities if you move fast.

Cities near World Cup venues
SAPPORO: Otaru (45mins by train, attractive city in itself), Ebetsu, Chitose(Airport town)
NIIGATA: Shin-Hatsuda, Sanjyo, Nagaoka
OITA: Beppu, Nakatsu, Takeda
YOKOHAMA: Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa (Atsugi, Yokosuka, Shonan)

Book you rooms here. Or anywhere else, as long as you do it as early as you possibly can.

The 2002 World Cup football tournament takes place in Japan and Korea between May 31 and June 30. The two host nations are friendly countries and will offer a warm welcome to football fans. Football fans planning to travel to Japan for the competition are offered the following advice.

SUMMARY

Japan is a generally safe, well-ordered country with an excellent transport system and world class sporting stadiums. The vast majority of Japanese are very excited about the world Cup and are keen to be welcoming to all fans who visit Japan for the tournament. If visitors make the necessary preparations for their trip and behave respectfully towards Japan and the Japanese people, the 2002 World Cup should be a fantastic experience for all who go.

• Make your travel and accommodation arrangements early.

• Think about buying a Japan Rail Pass before you leave your country(details below).

• Make sure you have adequate travel and medical insurance.

• Japan can be expensive and is still a mainly cash-based society. There may be difficulties using foreign-issued cards to obtain cash from automatic cash dispensers, so you should consult your card-issuing company before travelling.

• Be aware of the risks of buying tickets on the black market. These are likely to be very expensive and may be forgeries. Even if you do obtain black market tickets, fans who are unable to prove that they are the rightful owners of tickets may be refused entry to the stadiums.

• Any fans who break the law in Japan may be arrested and detained for up to 27 days while the police investigate the case. This applies for even minor offences. Offenders may then face on-the-spot fines, imprisonment, or be deported.

Before you go
Travel and accommodation
Money
Practical hints
Attending matches

Before you go

• Ensure that you have a valid passport. Leave a photocopy of your passport and written details of your hotel at home or with a friend or relative.

• Book accommodation early.

• Arrange comprehensive travel insurance for your trip. Make sure it is sufficient to cover the high costs of medical care in Japan and that it covers medical evacuation.

• Take travellers' cheques or credit cards, but also a reasonable amount of yen cash. There are no bureaux de change in Japan, and only large hotels tend to change foreign currency. Not all banks accept travellers' cheques and foreign-issued credit cards so it may take some time to find one that does. Check expiry dates on your credit cards.

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Travel and accommodation

Hotels

• Book early.

• Do not count on hotel staff being able to speak English.

• Hotels in Japan can be very expensive, but more affordable options are available. For those looking for inexpensive hotel accommodation in Japan, the websites of the International Tourism Centre of Japan and the Japan National Tourist Organisation are recommended.

Camping

Camping is not common, and many campsites will not accept people with their own tents (most Japanese prefer to hire ready-assembled tents from the campsite). The National Camping Association of Japan can provide further information. The address is: Kokuritsu Seishounen Sogo Centre; 3-1, Yoyogi Kamizono-cho; Shibuya-ku; Tokyo 151-0052. Tel: 81 (03) 3469-0217; fax: 81 (03) 3469-0504; e-mail: info@camping.or.jp.

Travel

• Travel throughout Japan is relatively easy and the public transport system is excellent. Taxis can be very expensive, as can travel by shinkansen (bullet train) between the major cities, but normal trains, subways and buses are reasonably priced.

• A Japan Railway (JR) Pass may prove to be the cheapest way of travelling around, particularly if you are planning to attend matches at different ends of the country or intend to take the opportunity to see other parts of Japan. You must buy the JR Pass before you enter Japan. Information about the purchase of the pass can be obtained at www.jreast.co.jp/e.
  The number for JR's English Language Telephone Service is (813) 3423-0111 (open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, Japanese time).

• There are not many night trains in Japan and the JR pass only covers part of the fare for these trains. It is unlikely that savings on accommodation can be made by travelling overnight, as for example can be done by Inter-rail pass holders in Europe. Domestic air travel in Japan is quite expensive. If you wish to make an internal flight it is advisable to check if the cost of this can be incorporated into your international ticket. Information desks at the airports will explain how to get into the cities. Taxis from airports can be very expensive, especially if you are flying into Tokyo (Narita). Public transport options are likely to be the best bet.

Luggage

Coin lockers are normally available in the railway stations. However, these lockers may not be available during the World Cup for security reasons. A final decision has not yet been made by the Japanese authorities. Left luggage offices are available in main stations - i.e. in Tokyo, only in Tokyo Station - but these too may be made unavailable during the World Cup.

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Money

Japan is an expensive country and is still a mainly cash-based society.Travellers' cheques can be exchanged at most major bank branches but are not accepted in shops, restaurants etc.

Using your bank card or credit card

• It is only in recent years that credit cards have become more accepted outside the major cities. The number of outlets that will accept foreign-issued credit cards is increasing, but it is best not to assume that a given place will accept your card.

• There may be difficulties using foreign-issued cards to obtain cash from automatic cash dispensers, so you should consult with your card-issuing company before travelling.

• Many automatic cash dispensers cease operating at 9.00pm or even earlier.

Visa

• You can withdraw cash up to your credit card limit with your Visa card and passport at the counter of any branch of Sumitomo Mitsui Bank (SMBC). Counter service hours are limited. Most banks usually operate their counter service Monday to Friday, 9.00-3.00pm.

• You can call the Visa International Global Assistance Centre (toll-free) on 0120-133-173. They will be able to give you the address of the nearest bank which has an automatic cash dispenser where you can withdraw cash using your PIN number. This is also the number to call if your card is lost or stolen.

MasterCard (Access)

• You can withdraw cash up to your credit card limit with your MasterCard and passport at the counter of any branch of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Bank. You should also be able to draw cash at branches of Citibank using your MasterCard, although there are only a small number of Citibank branches in Japan and they are all in the big cities.

• In Japan, MasterCard is affiliated with DC Card. They have offices near Shibuya station (Tel: 03-5489-6021) and Tokyo station (Tel: 03-3211-8541), as well as other branches, open 9.00-5.00pm, where you can draw cash using your card and passport. - MasterCard has a free international assistance number: 00531-11-3886.

Cards with the 'Cirrus' or 'Plus' symbols

• If your card has the 'Plus' symbol you should in theory be able to withdraw cash at any of the 24-hour UFJ bank branches, although in practice this service has not always been available.

• If your card has the 'Cirrus' or 'Plus' symbol on the back you can withdraw cash at any branch of Citibank in Japan, although there are only a small number of Citibank branches and they are all in the big cities.

American Express

• If you have an American Express card, contact their office at Shin-Okubo, one stop from Shinjuku station in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The telephone number is 03-3220-6100.

Cash transfers

• In an emergency your relatives or friends can 'wire' money to you, care of the Azabu Branch of UFJ Bank in Tokyo. You only need your passport and a contact telephone number in Japan to use this service. UFJ charge a 3,000 yen flat-fee. For more information on this service, contact Karen Sieg at: UFJ Bank, Azabu Branch, 1-10-3 Azabujuban, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106, tel: 03-3586-3328 or 03-3586-3811.

• Please note that this method can take between one and three days.

• Other banks may also provide a similar service and may be able to assist you.

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Practical hints

• June is the month of the rainy season in Japan. The weather is likely to be very warm and muggy, with frequent bouts of rain. Occasionally this can be heavy. Some lightweight waterproof clothing is recommended.
• Food and drink can be very expensive in Japan. Convenience shops and supermarkets offer value in comparison to restaurants and bars. Fast food restaurants are also a cheap way of eating, with most of the major Western chains having lots of outlets in Japan. There are also many cheap Japanese-style places to eat.
• Electrical appliances operate on 100 volts and use two-pin (flat) plugs. It might be a good idea to buy an adapter before departing, although they can also be purchased in Japan.
• Tourist information offices exist in most of the big railway stations and airports.
• The majority of Japanese people cannot speak English well, although most can read English to a reasonable level. The number of English speakers is higher in the big cities. Please speak slowly and clearly when talking to a Japanese person. Most signs at railway and subway stations are in both Japanese and English, and many automatic cash dispensers and station ticket machines have an English language option. Tourist information centres and many hotels will give you a free English language map if you ask for one.
• You are likely to need your passport for entry to matches, changing travellers' cheques etc. At other times, carry a photocopy of the key pages. Report lost or stolen credit cards or travellers cheques to your bank and to the police immediately. Report lost or stolen passports to the nearest police station immediately.
• Payphones are available in most stations and in many other public places too.

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Attending matches

Ticketing

• All tickets will be marked with a name, which can identify the rightful owner. You will face a series of checks as you move nearer to the stadium. The name will be checked against your passport, which must be carried when attending matches.
• Be aware of the risks of buying tickets on the black market. These are likely to be very expensive and may be forgeries.
• In previous international football tournaments it may have been possible to enter the ground with black market tickets originally purchased by locals. This may not be the case this time, even without detailed ID checks. Fans who are unable to prove that they are the rightful owners of tickets may be refused entry to the stadiums.
• Do not sell your ticket. The Japanese police always take a very hard line with foreigners suspected of ticket touting.

At the stadium

• Do not try to enter the stadium without a ticket or accreditation.
• Drunken fans will not be permitted to enter the stadiums, even if they have a valid ticket.
• You will be obliged to sit in the seat corresponding with the number on your ticket.
• Do not attempt to take alcohol or fireworks into the stadium. Do not climb on the walls and fences. Do not throw missiles. Do not try to enter the playing area. Do not seek to provoke rival fans. Do not sing or chant songs or display banners which contain racist or political slogans.

Avoiding trouble

• Follow the directions of local police.
• Be prepared to show your passport and match tickets at any time.
• Keep your distance from those fans determined to cause trouble.
• Do not be provoked. If you do commit a crime, expect to face the consequences, which are likely to be severe.

Policing

• In preparation for the tournament there has been unprecedented close co-operation between the Japanese police force and those of other competing countries. The Japanese want to ensure that genuine football fans, other visitors and local residents can move around without fear or intimidation, and that the tournament is played in a festive and safe atmosphere.
• Fans who break the law may be arrested and detained for up to 27 days while the police investigate the case. This applies for even minor offences. Offenders may then face on-the-spot fines, be further detained, deported or face imprisonment.
• Aggressive, provocative, drunken, racist or violent behaviour, the carrying of weapons, illegal drugs, theft and public disorder will not be tolerated and will be dealt with swiftly and firmly.
• Additional controls will be in place at ports of arrival. The behaviour of visitors will be monitored as they travel. Travellers who misbehave on planes and ferries, may be refused entry.

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