Leeds United enjoy profile boom 5,800 miles away with star man's family due another invite
Ao Tanaka has boosted Leeds United's profile in his native country but the club already had an unofficial presence in Japan.
They now go by the name Japan Whites but before becoming an organised supporters club, Leeds fans gathered to watch a victory at Wolves that took place on this day three years ago.
The game was a thriller. Leeds triumphed 4-2 over their hosts, who missed a glut of chances, had a goal ruled out for offside and went down to 10 men when Jonny was sent off. There was even a red card for unused substitute Matheus Nunes for his protestations to officials following a controversial fourth goal for Leeds. That game was not the beginning of a successful late-season fight against relegation but it was the start of something almost 6,000 miles away.
Masaki Kato, chair of Japan Whites, told the YEP: "The trigger was that in March 2023, five people who have supported Leeds United for about 20 years gathered for a dinner party. They partied while watching the recorded broadcast of 4-2 win over Wolves and discovered the joy of getting together to watch Leeds United.
"After that, we held a watching party with a wide range of participants in September 2023 for the game against Millwall. We hold viewing parties four or five times a year. On the final day of last season, more than 40 fans attended a viewing party, and an event was also being organised for the play-off final. Some of the participants in the viewing party are British citizens living in Japan, and the chants they sing add to the atmosphere, which is a key to the success of the event."
LUFC Japan Whites was established as a group in August of last year and became active on social media networks. They've gathered for watch parties for various games this season and have another planned for next month as Leeds attempt to escape the Championship.
Central to the team's success on the pitch and a growing reputation for the club in Japan is central midfielder Tanaka. The Japan international joined Leeds from Fortuna Düsseldorf for £2.9m and although he had to bide his time to break into Daniel Farke's team, he has become a pivotal part of it. Classy performances and four important goals have made him a starter for 30 of the last 31 Championship outings.
Tanaka's role in this season's promotion bid is one that has resonated in his homeland. Yuki Komatsu is social media administrator for Japan Whites and paid a visit to Elland Road for the dramatic late win over Sunderland in February. He said: "Ao is a special presence for us Japanese fans who love Leeds. It is truly a wonderful sight to see the same Japanese player playing for the club we love so much and his name being chanted by the fans. Nothing could make us happier. Of course, for those of us who have supported Leeds for a long time, winning is the best thing. We feel we are going through a special period, just like the Bielsa era. I want him to stay at Leeds for as long as possible and I hope he continues to shine."
Tanaka himself has noticed a boom in Japanese Leeds United interest this season. "It has gone higher," he told the club's matchday programme earlier this season. "When I came here, I was surprised because I knew Leeds United was a big club, but in Japan everyone knows Leeds. I see that if I play good games there's so many articles. The reports from here in Leeds, the Japanese media translated these articles and there's so, so many articles in Japan about Leeds so everyone knows."
Japan Whites have noticed it too. Yuki told the YEP: "He was a well-known player for the national team. I think his playing for Leeds has raised the profile of Leeds, and similarly, I feel that he has been featured in the video media more times than he did in Germany. I feel that this is largely due to the name Leeds. There is no doubt that a lot of Japanese people are paying attention to his success."
One of the most endearing away day stories of this season was when Tanaka's parents were pictured enjoying a train journey back to Yorkshire with Leeds fans after a 1-0 win over Derby County. If the proud couple were unaware as to just how popular their son has become in this part of England then that interaction will have put them straight. By all accounts they were thrilled with the experience as they were invited to sit amongst supporters and share in the beer-fuelled celebrations. Masaki hopes that Japan Whites will be able to offer a similar level of hospitality to the player's family on home soil in the near future. "There is no direct interaction at the moment, however there is a possibility of doing so in the future," he said. "We would like to invite his family members to attend spectator events."