South Korean FIFA presidential hopeful Chung Mong-joon cannot bank on the support of neighboring Japan, FIFA executive committee member Kozo Tashima said Tuesday.

Tashima said he was pleased his good friend Chung was standing for president, but suggested Japan would instead vote at the Feb. 26 election for Michel Platini to head world soccer's governing body.

"Of course as the same region, east Asia, we are so proud to have a candidate for FIFA (president)," the Japanese official told Reuters on Tuesday on the sidelines of an Asian Football Confederation conference.