{
  "id": 18501912,
  "title": "Japan’s Kozo Tashima challenges Infantino, vows to restore Fifa integrity",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/japans-kozo-tashima-challenges-infantino-vows-to-restore-fifa",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-06T13:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/sports/2026/11/06/japans-kozo-tashima-challenges-infantino-vows-to-restore-fifa-integrity/242169"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "TOKYO, November 6 — Kozo Tashima, a 68-year-old Japanese football enthusiast, has announced his intention to run for the position of Fifa president in the upcoming election set to take place in March. Tashima, who has dedicated his life to the development of football in Japan, will become the first Japanese individual to seek the top role in football's governing body. A player, coach, and bureaucrat with a reputation for being reliable, Tashima plans to restore fairness to the sport amid the current climate driven by business and financial interests. He expressed concern over Fifa continuing without an election, stating that it would be a test of whether Fifa can clean itself up. Born in Kumamoto, Tashima first started playing football after witnessing the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He rose through the ranks, becoming president of the Japan Football Association (JFA) in 2016, and served on the Asian Football Confederation executive committee and the FIFA Council. Tashima's presidency bid is not focused on winning or losing, but rather on sharing Japan's football integrity built over the years.",
  "summary": "TOKYO, Nov 6 — Kozo Tashima first started playing football after watching the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, and since then...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "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"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-11-06T04:02:15.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Kozo Tashima: Japan leader looking to bring 'integrity' to FIFA",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/06/kozo-tashima-japan-leader-looking-to-bring-integrity-to-fifa",
        "published": "2026-11-06T09:26:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}