While the echoes of the 2002 World Cup are still ringing in our ears, Japanese soccer is making the first moves toward reform. At a meeting of its council and a new board of directors last Saturday, the Japan Football Association officially approved the appointment of a new executive lineup led by Mr. Saburo Kawabuchi as president.
Mr. Kawabuchi, promoted from vice president, has named a bold new personnel team. Symbolic of the direction in which he is moving is the choice of Mr. Takeo Hirata as managing director. Mr. Hirata, 42, previously directed the Petroleum and Natural Gas Division of the Agency of Natural Resources and Energy. He has advised the J. League from the preparatory stage and has served as a member of the JFA's international projects. He is also said to have worked hard behind the scenes for Japan's bid to host the 2002 World Cup. Although he has provided only lateral support so far, he has been involved in Japanese soccer for more than a decade. Mr. Hirata also has a good reputation in the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a person of action with outstanding planning skills.
The extraordinary personnel decision to bring on board talented human resources from the outside is likely to sweep away the cobwebs in Japanese soccer. Mr. Hirata does not have a sparkling career in sports, and he does not have a foothold at the core of the organization; he has completely bypassed the seniority system, which is so strong in the Japanese sporting world. But he does have youth and a rich international mind on his side. He speaks Portuguese and English and has good negotiating skills, which he has polished through study in the United States, work at the Japanese Embassy in Brazil and talks with oil-producing countries.