In a meeting with Wu at the Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi expressed displeasure about what happened after the emotionally charged game.

"While we are grateful that 47,000 police officers were mobilized, it remains a fact that they could not prevent a window of a (Japanese) minister's vehicle from being smashed and (Japanese) national flags from being burned," Kawaguchi said.

But Kawaguchi noted host China's efforts at maintaining order for the soccer games.

"While there have been regrettable actions throughout a series of matches, the Chinese government nonetheless did the best it could," she said.

Throughout the tournament, which began July 17, Chinese fans booed the Japanese national anthem and voiced anti-Japanese sentiment at the matches the Japanese played.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 14, 2004
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