British duo first to fall foul of hooligan law

Two British men became the first casualties of Japan's war against hooliganism when they were refused entry at Narita Airport, officials said yesterday.

The two men, who were not named, were held after their Sunday night arrival because their names were on a 'hooligan list' that had been supplied by Britain. Both will be deported, probably today.

The list on which their names appeared has details of more than 200 alleged hooligans from Britain. The two males, both aged 34, had arrived on a flight from Istanbul, which is where they will be returned. Their city of origin seems to confirm fears in Japan that hooligans were planning to arrive in Japan from countries other than Britain to avoid detection at British airports.

The suspects were held under a law passed in March exclusively for the World Cup. It allows authorities to detain and deport anyone they feel may use violence or cause disorder in connection with international events in Japan.

Both men denied they had come to Japan to watch soccer, sources at Narita said.

The detentions coincided with the arrival of 300 foreign 'hooligan spotters' in Tokyo yesterday. Their task for the next month will be to monitor the bars, clubs, airports and train stations as well as football grounds to identify potential or known troublemakers and inform police.