Japanese Referee Leads Two Matches In League 1, PSSI Gives Explanation

Futoshi Nakamura, one of two Japanese referees who led the 2023/2024 Liga 1 (Instagram/@liga1match) party.

JAKARTA - Japanese referees are believed to lead two matches in the 22nd week of Liga 1 2023/2024. Regarding the involvement of foreign referees in the competition, PSSI through the Executive Committee (Exco) member, Arya Sinulingga, gave the reason.

The two foreign referees on duty in Liga 1 are Futoshi Nakamura and Yusuke Araki who served as the main referee or central referee in Sunday's match, December 10, 2023.

Futoshi Nakamura is believed to lead the Persib Bandung vs Persik Kediri match at Gelora Bandung Lautan Api. Meanwhile, Yusuke Araki led the Persita Tangerang vs Persikabo 1973 duel at the Indomilk Arena.

Regarding the two foreign referees, Arya Sinulingga as Exco PSSI said that this was a tangible form in the cooperation between PSSI and the Japanese Football Federation (JFA) regarding the regulation.

So far, the PSSI Deputy Referee Committee from Japan, Yoshimi Ogawa, has also provided training and trials to local field players.

"This has actually been a long time because of the collaboration between JFA and PSSI. We know that the PSSI Deputy Referee Committee is from Japan."

"So, at that time we were trialing and pumping and looking for Japanese referee learning that we invited to Indonesia," said Arya Sinulingga in a statement quoted on Monday, December 11, 2023.

The involvement of two Japanese referees in the Persib vs Persik and Persita vs Persikabo matches turned out to have other reasons. The location of the match is not too far from the capital, where the referees stay temporarily, so the reason for choosing which party is led by the foreign referee.

"Why is it here (Bandung and Tangerang) because it is not far from Jakarta and Bandung," said Arya.

Furthermore, Arya also emphasized that the involvement of this foreign referee was only temporary as a form of real practice for the benefit of local referee training which is also being carried out.

"This is only two games, the referee is from Japan. It's not that we don't believe in our referee (Indonesia), but this is a form of cooperation program between JFA and PSSI," he continued.

"Hopefully this way, we can also get input from the Japanese referee in these two matches. So, we don't use foreign referees next," hoped Arya Sinulingga.