OSAKA -- Amid nationwide jubilation on Dec. 1 over the birth of a daughter to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, coffee shop owner Koji Fukushima of Osaka felt he had little to celebrate.
This was because of the day's big sporting story from Pusan, South Korea: The draw for the 2002 World Cup finals determined that the English would be coming to town next summer.
The draw threw England, Sweden, Argentina and Nigeria together in Group F, labeled the "Group of Death" by pundits because of the high-profile teams.