Okada resigns in protest of Infantino's FIFA leadership

Takeshi Okada, who coached Japan twice at the World Cup, has resigned as vice president of the Japan Football Association. The resignation letter published by the federation was dated one day after the Asian Football Confederation's endorsement of Infantino. Infantino is running in the March election for a fourth and final term.

Okada said he believes sporting values must carry the principle of integrity. He wrote that the events surrounding this year's World Cup had largely clashed with his personal beliefs. He also acknowledged that he understood Japan's difficult position within FIFA and the Asian confederation, and that there were practical reasons to conform to Asia's stance.

Infantino has faced criticism since July over the failure of a plan to sell part of the World Cup's commercial rights and his close relationship with the Trump family. Football officials in Europe and North America have also reacted. Asian Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa was among those who said in August that Infantino had seriously damaged trust. However, the confederation changed its position at the meeting in Tokyo last Friday and backed Infantino.

The Asian Football Confederation represents 46 of FIFA's 211 member associations. All of these federations will be able to vote in the election on 18 March in Rabat, Morocco. Okada's resignation shows how much pressure Japan felt to align with a regional decision.