Reuters球迷在东京庆祝胜利。虽然日本还在努力解决所有这些令人头痛的问题，但日本女足却成为人们意料之外的亮点。这或许是受了去年夏天日本男足在南非世界杯上的惊人表现的推动。一年多以前的南非世界杯上，日本男足接连击败喀麦隆和丹麦两支劲旅，跻身16强，最终在和巴拉圭队的点球大战中一球惜败，未能挺进八强。

While Japan grapples with all of these headaches, soccer has emerged as the unlikely bright spot, triggered by the men's surprising run last summer at the World Cup in South Africa. The Samurai Blue defeated heavyweights Cameroon and Denmark for a slot in the round of 16 before being knocked out by a penalty shot against Paraguay just over a year ago.

但或许最令人难忘的还是3月11日的地震和海啸之后的几周，日本足球界集结在一起，展示出的团结精神给人留下深刻的印象。3月底，4万多球迷涌入大阪的一个体育场，他们的脸上涂着油彩，头戴假发，共同挥舞着巨型国旗。这些激情澎湃的“装备”令人想起去年夏天南非世界杯上日本队不断向前冲的战绩。这些球迷观看的是日本全明星队和国家队之间的一场慈善赛德语翻译。

But, perhaps most poignantly, was the way that organized soccer rallied in an impressive show of solidarity in the immediate weeks following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. More than 40,000 fans piled into a sports stadium in Osaka in late March with painted faces, wigs and giant flags -- enthusiastic accessories reminiscent of the Samurai Blue's surging run in the World Cup in South Africa last summer. They were there attend a charity match between Japan's all-star players and national soccer team.

这场球赛的最大看点是所有常驻欧洲的日本球员都回国参加了比赛。效力于意大利国际米兰队的后卫长友佑都（Yuto Nagatomo）就是回国参加比赛的12名常驻海外的球员之一。效力于莫斯科中央陆军队（CKSA Moscow）的本田圭佑（Keisuke Honda）也参加了大阪的比赛。他是去年夏天南非世界杯日本队最有价值球员日语口译。

A big draw was the return of all the European-based players. Defender Yuto Nagatomo, who plays his club soccer for Inter Milan in Italy, was one of 12 overseas-based players to return to Japan for the match. CKSA Moscow player Keisuke Honda, who was Japan's MVP at last summer's World Cup in South Africa, also stood on the Osaka pitch.