With the coronavirus pandemic leaving most fans in front of their screens instead of at the stadium, finding new ways to communicate has become more vital than ever for the J. League.
One of its biggest assets in bringing fans closer — even as they have been forced to physically distance — has been vice chairman Hiromi Hara, the 63-year-old former coach who has become the face of the league’s online presence.
Hara, a forward in his playing days with 75 caps for Japan’s national team who later managed Urawa Reds and FC Tokyo, was an early adopter of Twitter long before it became one of the country’s most important internet platforms.