Japan Soccer Executive Steps Down After Asia Backs FIFA Chief

Takeshi Okada has resigned as a vice president of the Japan Football Association. He announced his departure on Tuesday, marking the first major leadership change in the Japanese body since the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) publicly supported FIFA president Gianni Infantino for re-election.

Okada, who served as the head coach of the Japanese national team during the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, held one of three vice presidential positions. He left his post just seven days after Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, the AFC president, declared regional backing for Infantino during a meeting in Tokyo. Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and is currently seeking a fourth term in an election scheduled for March.

The AFC endorsement represents a sharp shift in stance. Two months prior, the confederation joined European and North American governing bodies in criticizing Infantino. At that time, the AFC signed a joint letter with UEFA and CONCACAF. The document stated that the sport belongs to no individual. The controversy centered on a failed proposal to allow private investors into FIFA's premium competitions, including the World Cup.

In a statement regarding his exit, Okada said he was leaving entirely of his own volition. He described his decision as the result of careful and repeated deliberation. He noted a wide gap between the official responses to the World Cup issues and his personal convictions as a sportsman.

"Throughout my career I have treasured the social value of sport based on my conviction that sport must be conducted with integrity," Okada wrote. He added that he could not accept the recent responses because they clashed with his lifelong commitment to the idea that sport should be run with integrity.

Okada acknowledged the practical pressures facing Japan in the current diplomatic environment. He stated that he understood the reasons for aligning the national association's stance with that of the AFC. He cited the impact of that relationship on Japanese football as a key factor in his analysis of the situation.

Infantino has faced calls to step down following the collapse of the private investment project. He has since apologized for the failed initiative. Despite losing the support of some national associations, he remains the leading candidate for the presidency as the election approaches next year.