The Asian Champions League Elite match between Kawasaki Frontale and Shanghai Shenhua, held at Todoroki Athletics Stadium in Kawasaki, Japan, on March 12, 2025, saw a concerning incident. Following the match, a Japanese man was arrested on charges of assaulting a Chinese man.
The arrested individual, identified as 53-year-old Atsushi Kubota, a construction worker, allegedly attacked a 41-year-old employee of a Chinese company. The incident occurred within the Shanghai Shenhua supporters' section.
According to reports, the Japanese man punched the Chinese fan in the face, resulting in a broken nasal bone and injuries requiring approximately six weeks to heal. The confrontation reportedly stemmed from the Chinese fan's reaction to a goal scored by Kawasaki Frontale.
A video of the assault, captured by a spectator and later shared online, aided authorities in identifying the suspect. In response to the incident, Kawasaki Frontale announced a permanent ban from all club-hosted matches for the attacker. The club emphasized that such behavior is unacceptable.
5 Comments
Coccinella
I feel for both fans involved. Conflict is unfortunate, but it happens in the heat of the moment.
ZmeeLove
It’s a tough situation, but can we really expect everyone to handle their emotions perfectly? This country is passionate about football!
Habibi
Inri's situation is sensitive, but hopefully, both parties can deal with their issues without escalating further.
Muchacho
This is an embarrassment for Japanese football. We need to set a better example!
Michelangelo
I think the video evidence is crucial for holding individuals accountable. We must learn from this.