SAITAMA, Japan, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Thousands of Japanese soccer fans lined up outside Saitama Stadium hours ahead of the country's match with North Korea Wednesday evening.
Japanese supporters began queuing up for seats as early as Monday for the first final qualifier for soccer's World Cup, which will take place in Germany in 2006.
A sellout crowd of almost 64,000 is expected to show up for the two nations' first soccer showdown since October 1993, when Japan beat North Korea 3-0, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday.
Late Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi called on supporters from both sides to remain calm and enjoy the game. A security force of approximately 3,400 will be present at the stadium during the match.
Meanwhile, the Japanese media have reported that North Korea has been stepping up its anti-Japan propaganda ahead of the match.
