Japan Women’s Soccer Team Scraps White Shorts after Feedback

Tokyo, Feb. 28 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese women’s national soccer team, known as Nadeshiko Japan, scrapped white shorts from its uniform in response to players’ concerns over period anxiety. Since last year, Nadeshiko Japan has changed the color of its shorts, although the same basic uniform designs are used for both men’s and women’s national soccer teams. After the country rolled out the latest home uniform design for its national soccer teams last November, the men’s team, dubbed Samurai Blue, debuted the new uniform, consisting of a blue jersey and white shorts, in a match against Ghana. Later that month, Nadeshiko Japan players wore blue shorts in a game against Canada. Since February last year, they have worn black shorts for away games. The changes came after a social media post during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics highlighted see-through issues with women’s white uniforms. “Honestly, the move was a long time coming because we’d requested (not wearing white shorts) for quite a while,” said London City Lionesses player Saki Kumagai, 35, who has played for Nadeshiko Japan since her second year of high school. As periods can be unpredictable, some soccer players have played with stained shorts during games. Kumagai said stains are less noticeable on nonwhite uniforms, adding that anxiety and stress levels increase further if white uniforms are worn in rainy conditions. “I don’t want to wear white for Nadeshiko Japan games, which attract the largest audiences in women’s soccer,” she said. A survey by Sompo Holdings Inc. released last December showed that 45 pct of women had problems wearing white sports uniforms. Meanwhile, 66.4 pct of respondents said they did not consult others about their concerns or discomfort because they believed such issues were simply the norm. Kumagai said that she used to be one of the people who felt that way on the subject of white uniforms. Until now, opinions expressed by individuals have often failed to reach those who could bring about meaningful change. The shift away from white uniforms has spread across Europe and the United States, with England’s national team switching its shorts from white to blue during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Kumagai said, “I’ve come to understand that it’s meaningful to speak up.” With the sporting world remaining male-dominated, solutions to issues like the white soccer shorts problem have often been delayed. “Providing options that accommodate women’s voices means a lot for female athletes to continue playing sports,” Kumagai said. “I think that by gaining understanding, we’ll be a step closer to building a more welcoming environment where women can also thrive.” On International Women’s Day on March 8, events will be held around the world, including Japan, to promote women’s rights, improve their status and eliminate gender disparities. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]