On July 31, the Japan Football Association stated that Tajima opposes the FIFA president's proposal to establish a "FIFA Forward Enterprise" and that negotiations are underway.
Kozo Tajima, a member of the FIFA Council, opposed the proposal. The proposal comes against the backdrop of FIFA suddenly sending a document to its 211 member associations, attempting to push the decision forward by majority vote. Tajima stated that, as a member of the FIFA Council, he was angered by the hasty decision to submit the matter to individual associations for a vote without substantive discussion within the Council, and clearly expressed his opposition.
Tajima's concerns stem from some controversies that arose at last week's North American World Cup—red card decisions were delayed without sufficient explanation, and the halftime break in the final was significantly extended. He believes that the intrinsic value of football, which should be played strictly according to the rules of the game, should not be influenced by external factors such as commercial interests.
Tajima pointed out, "With a history of over 120 years, if external capital with commercial interests as its highest goal is involved, decisions may be made not in the service of competition, but in the pursuit of profit. We cannot accept this." He also emphasized that FIFA, as the global governing body for football, must safeguard and promote the healthy development of the sport.
