Japan braces for unfriendly China supporters

TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's football chief has vowed to do everything possible to prevent Tokyo's diplomatic spat with Beijing over an incident in disputed waters from spoiling upcoming tournaments in China.
"It will be terribly shocking if booing starts when our national nfl jerseys
anthem is played," Japan Football Association president Junji Ogura told Japanese media.
"We want to take every possible step with the help of the Chinese (football) association," added Ogura, who also heads the East Asian Football Federation, in comments published Tuesday.
"I am worried. The football world in particular needs special care."
China will host the under-19 Asian football championships in October and the multi-sport Asian Games in November.
Japan's September 7 arrest of a Chinese captain suspected of ramming his trawler into two Japanese coastguard ships near disputed islands in the East China Sea has flared into a fierce diplomatic row.
China has put off various exchanges with Japan, from high-level diplomatic contacts to a concert tour by Japanese pop band SMAP after a Japanese court on Sunday extended the captain's detention for continued investigations.
The Japanese national football team have bitter memories of Bills jersey
facing hostile and abusive Chinese supporters at tournaments in China.
At the 2004 Asian Cup in China, local spectators booed the Japanese team even when their national anthem was played, reflecting deep-rooted antipathy dating back to Japan's World War II aggression.
The 2004 event ended with a near riot after the final in Beijing, where Japan beat China 3-1, when a Japanese diplomat's car was attacked.
At the 2008 East Asian championships in Chongqing, local spectators booed the Japanese national anthem, continuously jeered Japanese players and burned some Japanese national flags.
BREMEN, Germany (AP)—Werder Bremen and Poland defender Sebastian Boenisch will be out of action for up to six months with a knee injury.
The Bundesliga club said Tuesday that a scan showed an injury to the joint in the 23-year-old’s right knee.
Team doctor Goetz Dimanski says it will take between four to six months to get Boenisch back to fitness
MILAN (AP)—Still feeling the effects of a chest problem, 37-year-old Inter Milan captain Javier Zanetti has been left off the squad for Wednesday’s game against Bari.
He will also likely sit out Saturday’s match against AS Roma.
Zanetti was taken to the hospital after getting hit by the ball during Sunday’s 49ers jersey
2-1 win over Palermo. He played a full 90 minutes but felt pain upon reaching the changing room.
It’s unclear if he will return for next week’s Champions League game against Werder Bremen.
Zanetti recently extended his contract with Inter through to the 2012-13 season.