FC Barcelona has expressed its solidarity with the tragedy that has struck Japan today. This is a country where the club is especially present and that the first team has visited on preseason tours on numerous occasions in recent years.

Barça worried for its supporters clubs

There are two active FCB supporters clubs in Japan, both in the city of Tokyo, the Sol Naixent and the Penya Japan. The international relations representative of the Social Commission, Josep Maria Barnils, has contacted both of these by email to find out whether they are all right and to express FC Barcelona’s sympathy in such dreadful times.

No damage to FCB Escola

The Japanese FCB Escola soccer academy at Fukuoka, in the southwest of the country, has not been affected by the strongest earthquake in the country’s history, for the it did not hit this part of the country.

The technical director of FCB Escola in Japan, Ivan Palanco, was able to contact the managers of the FCB Escola in Barcelona on Friday. “He and the coaches and children at that school are in perfect condition”, said Xevi Marcé, director of the club’s soccer school. Marcé was with Ivan Palanco in Tokyo just a week ago to talk about expanding the number of international schools there, but the earthquake fortunately had no affect on them.

In Fukuoka, Barça has 300 Japanese pupils that train and play at the school, as in all the international schools that follow the Barça method.

Second highest number of Barça fans

As well as having an FCB Escola, Japan is very important to the club’s membership, for it is the second most represented country with 1,470 members.