Why Japan must let the fun (and games) begin

The hosts may take a stereotypical view of English fans but, says Richard Lloyd Parry, the nation is primed to please

Before the heat and humidity of Japan's rainy season, and before the bustle of trains and coaches which will transport them into Tokyo, the first thingfans will notice when they arrive at Narita Airport will be the large sign in the baggage hall. Its message is spelled out in English and Japanese; its letters a foot high. "Welcome to Japan," it says. "Please Keep The Rules."

It is this nervous combination of enthusiasm and apprehension, of hospitality and suspicion, which sums up Japan's attitude to the World Cup, and on which the success or failure of the tournament depends.

Japanese are warm and gracious hosts; for efficiency, and forward planning, there is no one to match them. The question is whether they will be able to accommodate the unpredictability and spontaneity which an event like this throws up. After six years of preparation and £3bn of expenditure, this will be a well- organised tournament. But will it be any fun?

Half of the 2002 World Cup will be played in Korea, but it is in Japan where most Britons will spend the tournament. From the moment they arrive they will find themselves taken care of. Twelve thousand multilingual volunteers will be at airports, railway stations and venues. One-and-a-half million guidebooks will be distributed free in seven languages. Navigating a country in which you can't read the road signs is daunting, but Japan is a pleasure to travel through.

For most, the biggest obstacle is the expense. For anyone planning more than one long train journey, the Japan Rail Pass will save money. For those interested in such things, the Japanese stadiums will be a revelation. Most have been purpose-built for the World Cup; six of the 10 pitches, however, are in multi-sports stadiums, meaning that spectators will have an athletics track between themselves and the game. The host towns and cities are preparing enthusiastically – they just aren't the towns where you would necessarily choose to spend your time in Japan. The Ibaraki ground, for example, is in the middle of nowhere.

It is within the stadiums that the second part of the message at the airport comes into play: Please Keep The Rules. Many are sensible, but others display the Japanese habit of imposing regulation for its own sake. A sound alcohol policy has been instituted. It will be easy to buy beer, but fans will not be allowed to bring their supplies into the ground, and booze sales will end at the beginning of the second half.

Post 11 September, the biggest and most serious threat is of a terrorist attack. But in the popular mind the greater fear is of hooligans – and that means England fans.

The media have played their part in promoting hysteria, but the most damage has been done by the police. Every week, anti-hooligan "drills", featuring policemen dressed as hooligans, are held before the cameras in World Cup grounds. New "anti-hooligan" weapons have been procured. The danger is that all this alarm-mongering will take on a life of its own.

Already, inns close to England venues are refusing bookings from foreigners. It will be a shame if Japan forgets to add a third element to the airport slogan: Welcome to Japan. Please Keep The Rules. But Enjoy Yourselves. *