Japan apologizes to Iraq over not holding next football match in Baghdad

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zibari received on Sunday an apology message from Japan Football Association sent to its Iraqi counterpart in which it apologized for holding the next football match between Iraqi team and its Japanese counterpart in Baghdad.

A statement by the Iraqi FM reported that “Zibari received the Japanese Ambassador for Iraq, Masatu Takaoka in Baghdad where they reviewed the activities of the Iraqi-Japanese Mutual Commission headed by both countries Foreign Ministers.”

“The meeting included discussing the obstacles facing the Japanese companies and businessmen to work and reside in Iraq where Zibar confirmed the Iraqi government’s readiness to ease all those impediments through coordinating with all the concerned sides,” according to the statement.

“The Japanese Ambassador handed over Zibari apology message from the Japanese Football Association forwarded to its Iraqi counterpart, apologizing for not being able to hold the next match in Baghdad due to the short period and because the FIFA and the Japanese side conducted all the arrangements to hold the match in the Qatari capital, Doha,” the statement added.

Earlier, the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Hoshyar Zibari requested the Japanese Ambassador to Iraq to hold the next football match between Iraq and Japan within the World Cup qualifiers in Baghdad based on the Iraqi Cabinet’s request.