Takumi Minamino: How Japanese fans are supporting Liverpool’s new signing from 10,000km away
How exactly do you follow a team that plays their games on the other side of the world? It’s a familiar conundrum for Liverpool supporters based in Tokyo, some 10,000 kilometres away from Anfield.
We travelled to Japan to speak to local Reds fans to find out why Jurgen Klopp‘s side boast such a large following in the East Asian nation and what Takumi Minamino’s move to Merseyside means to them.
The 25-year-old is only the ninth Japanese player to make a Premier League appearance and, unsurprisingly, he’s already huge hit in his homeland.
However, the support offered by Japanese Liverpool fans is not confined to events on the pitch.
Whether it be donations to a Liverpool-based food bank or a special gift for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, it’s clear that – despite the huge distance separating them from Merseyside – these fans feel like they are very much part of the Liverpool family.
Watch the video at the top of the article to see Oliver Trenchard visit a Liverpool supporters’ group in Tokyo. Subscribe to Squawka’s Youtube channel here.
