{
  "id": 18441248,
  "title": "Japan’s Kozo Tashima looking to bring ‘integrity’ to Fifa",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/japans-kozo-tashima-looking-to-bring-integrity-to-fifa",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-06T04:02:15.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/sports/2026/11/06/japan-s-kozo-tashima-looking-to-bring-integrity-to-fifa"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Kozo Tashima, a 68-year-old Japanese football enthusiast, is set to make history by becoming the first Japanese individual to run for the FIFA presidency. Tashima's decision to enter the race stems from a belief that the sport must maintain its integrity in an era dominated by business and money. Born in Kumamoto and captaining his team to victory in Japan's prestigious national high school championship, Tashima dedicated his life to football after being inspired by the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.\n\nTashima's football journey began with playing the sport, followed by coaching and administrative roles. He studied at the German Sport University Cologne, which he said significantly influenced his perspective on sport's purpose in society. Upon returning to Japan, Tashima used his German knowledge to help develop Japanese football, serving as a coach and eventually becoming the president of the Japan Football Association (JFA) in 2016.\n\nDuring his tenure as JFA president, Tashima faced challenges and made controversial decisions, such as dismissing Japan's coach Vahid Halilhodzic and addressing travel restrictions on Iran's World Cup team imposed by American authorities. Now, Tashima is poised to challenge incumbent FIFA president Gianni Infantino in the upcoming election, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of the sport.",
  "summary": "Having served as a player, coach and football bureaucrat, the 68-year-old is set to become the first Japanese candidate for the Fifa presidency.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "Football: JFA honorary chief Tashima intends to vie for FIFA presidency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/football-jfa-honorary-chief-tashima-intends-to-vie-for-fifa-presidency",
        "published": "2026-11-06T01:00:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}