From Tuesday 8 to Thursday 10 July, the 10th Japan-China-Korea International Friendly Tournament（U-18）was held at J-Green Sakai, Osaka. This tournament between the leading East Asian Women’s football teams started 10 years ago to enhance skills and friendship of U-18 players in Japan, China and South. This year, U-18 Japan Women’s National Team, Shanghai U-18 squad, South Korea U-18 squad as well as U-18 Osaka Prefecture squad took part in the tournament. Referees from China and South Korea were dispatched with their squad teams.
During the 3 day tournament, referees from China and Korea worked together with the local referee from Osaka and Ms. Teshirogi Naomi of U-18 Japan Women’s National Team for the 6 matches.

Comments

TESHIROGI Naomi, U-18　Japan Women’s National Team Referee,　Women International Assistant Referee/ Women's Football Class-1 Referee from Hokkaido
Both teams from South Korea and Shanghai were good women’s football teams. They both played very well with fairness and patience. While typhoon was approaching Osaka, the tournament finished without any accidents. I appreciate Osaka Football Association very much for their wonderful consideration and support for this tournament.
I hope this tournament will continue in the future to maintain this friendship of those 3 countries and I will be very happy to join it if I have another chance to do so. Thank you very much.

MADONO Mika, Class-3 Referee from Osaka
I joined this international tournament held in Osaka with other local women’s football regerees, Referee Dong from Shanghai, Women International Assistant Referee Teshirogi, and Women's Football Class-1 Referee Matozaki and Sasaki who live in Kansai area.
Since the tournament was held on weekdays, all referees joined it by taking days off of work or rushing into the matches after work. Especially in the 3rd day, we had had to start the match 2 hours earlier due to the typoon and then we decided to kick-off 15 more minutes earlier on the day. However, all of staff and referees collaborated well and we referees could be allocated well to finish all of the tournament matches without any problems.
Ms. Teshirogi worked through all 3 days under the very hot and humid conditions, but she discreetly　supported local referees who also had to organise the tournament with lovely smile. I think all referees, including veteran and non-veteran, contributed considering what were the best things to do for the tournament and in that sense there wasn’t one “star” contributor. I am proud of women’s football referees and of their sense of unity. Thank you very much for all people who supported us.