Feyenoord hosts Rotterdam Japan Club at De Kuip

Erik Geerling, RJC Co-Chair looked back at the visit: "The Rotterdam-Japan Club would like to express its sincere gratitude to Feyenoord for the outstanding hospitality and the excellent organization of the event. We truly cherish the enduring friendship and the valued connections between Feyenoord and Japan—a bond that began with the legendary Shinji Ono and continues to flourish today. Since our visit, 'The Legion' has only grown larger – including the ambassador who received a shirt with number 12 -, and there is no doubt that the future of Feyenoord will, in part, speak Japanese for many years to come."

The program opened with welcoming remarks and a presentation by His Excellency Rokuichiro Michii, Ambassador of Japan to the Netherlands. This was followed by a presentation from Ruud van der Knaap, Commercial Director at Feyenoord, who shared insights into the club’s commercial activities and international ambitions.

Guests then enjoyed a lunch buffet that was served and joined a guided stadium tour of De Kuip, experiencing the history and atmosphere of the stadium.

A key part of the visit was an interactive Q&A session with players from Feyenoord Men’s First Team and Feyenoord Women’s First Team Ayase Ueda, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Akari Takeshige and Kokomo Iwasaki, who spoke about their careers and experiences in international football.

The Rotterdam Japan Club is a network bringing together business, cultural and institutional representatives to strengthen Japan–Netherlands relations and facilitate exchange between organizations in the Rotterdam region. Its members mainly represent the business community, alongside participants from the cultural sector, the Municipality of Rotterdam and the Japanese Embassy.

Feyenoord would like to thank the Rotterdam Japan Club, His Excellency Rokuichiro Michii, Ambassador of Japan to the Netherlands, and all attendees for their visit and contribution to a successful afternoon at De Kuip.