Japan media celebrate title, note violence

TOKYO (AP) -- Japanese newspapers and television on Sunday celebrated the national soccer team's 3-1 defeat of China in the Asian Cup final in Beijing, but took heavy note of the violence that erupted at the stadium amid strong anti-Japanese sentiment.

"Victory for Japan amid tight security in Beijing" said the front-page headline in the Mainichi newspaper. A photo of the jubilant national team, fronted by captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto cradling the championship trophy, accompanied the story.

Chinese fans harassed the Japanese team through much of the tournament as they vented resentment for Japan's brutal invasion of China during World War II. On Saturday night as at earlier matches, Chinese fans booed while the Japanese national anthem was played.

Japan's sports daily, Suponichi, plastered a full-page photo of the celebrating team across its front page, declaring that the team's exploits "Silenced the jeers of 65,000 people."

Japanese media also reported that Chinese fans turned violent after the game, and some were seen burning the Japanese flag.

The Yomiuri and Asahi newspapers reported that riotous Chinese broke the rear window of a top Japanese diplomat's car as he tried to leave the stadium grounds after the match.

Neither the diplomat nor the car's driver was injured, the Yomiuri said.

Officials at Japan's Foreign Ministry could not immediately be reached for comment.

About 1,000 Japanese fans were also prevented from leaving the stadium for two hours after the game as Chinese police waited until they could safely be transported from the arena, the Yomiuri reported.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima told public broadcaster NHK that Japan hoped to be able to work with China to avoid similar situations in the future.

"I acknowledge that the Chinese government did what it could to avoid disorder but it is regrettable that Japanese supporters were at one point unable to leave the stadium," Takashima said. "We hope both countries can talk things over calmly so that this doesn't happen again."