Society

Japan rugby squad honored with parade in Tokyo

Dec 12 (NHK) - The Japanese national rugby team has been honored with a parade celebrating its historic run at this year's Rugby World Cup.

The event featured 28 of the 31 members of the squad, including stars Keita Inagaki and Kenki Fukuoka.

Japan exceeded expectations at the World Cup. They won all four of their group stage games, including showdowns with powerhouses Ireland and Scotland.

They advanced to the knockout round, where they were eliminated by eventual champions South Africa.

"We were able to advance to the final eight for the first time," team captain Michael Leitch said. "We think it was thanks to support from fans in the stadium and around the country".

Leitch's teammate Keita Inagaki said it was great to hear the cheers from the roadside at the parade, and added "I feel that all the players need to do their best to develop Japanese rugby."

The tournament was the first Rugby World Cup held in Asia, and sparked interest in the sport throughout Japan. Event organizers say 50,000 fans lined the parade route to cheer for the team.

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