LAHORE
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat has said that the Japan Football Association (JFA) has shown great interest in development of football in Pakistan.
Talking to the scribe on Saturday, Faisal said: “Japan is a true friend of Pakistan who has always come forward to support the country in every walk of life. The Japanese are highly hospitable and loving. Reflecting the Pakistan-Japan warm historic relations, JFA chief Kuniya Daini, along with vice president and executive general secretary Kohzo Tashima, has shown great interest in promotion of Pakistan football. After returning the country, Faisal, who headed a two-member delegation of the PFF touring Japan with PFF secretary Lt Col (r) Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi, being the other member, said the JFA was considering to provide assistance to the PFF. “JFA wants to provide us coach for the national women team, improvement of infrastructure, exchange of national teams and coach education programme.”
Elaborating the visit, PFF secretary Col Lodhi said that the JFA welcomed the PFF delegation with open arms and during the discussions, all the aspects relating to the mutually benefitting bondage between PFF and JFA were taken into account. “The PFF delegation during its visit to the football museum of Japan witnessed Japanese nation’s real love for the game depicted in the artwork placed in the museum.”
“During its visit, the PFF delegation also met with HER Imperial Highness Princess Takamado, JFA patron, at Nissan Stadium, Yokohama where she also took keen interest in the progress and development of football in Pakistan,” he added.
“The PFF delegation also visited Nissan Football Stadium Yokohama where a meeting was held between PFF officials and Japan League chairman Mitsuru Murai which vowed to strengthen Pakistan’s League and also discussed chances of bilateral cooperation,” Lodhi concluded.