Japanese football fans, long admired for cleaning stadiums after World Cup matches, are now facing criticism at home over a perceived double standard in household responsibilities.

After recent match photos showed fans collecting litter from the stands with trash bags, social media users in Japan raised concerns that while some men are diligent in public spaces, they may not be equally involved in domestic chores.

A viral post compared a man cleaning up at a stadium with the same man relaxing at home, using his phone while his wife handled household work such as dishes and laundry. The post urged Japanese men to “pitch in more at home,” noting that the country ranks among the lowest globally in time spent by men on housework.

The post has been widely shared, gaining around 60,000 likes on X (formerly Twitter).

“Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help mom do the dishes,” one user commented, quoting American author PJ O’Rourke.

Another user wrote that some of the fans seen cleaning stadiums likely leave childcare duties to their wives in order to attend matches.

Cleanliness and discipline in public spaces are deeply rooted in Japanese culture. However, data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) shows a significant gender gap in unpaid domestic work. As of 2021, Japanese women spent more than three hours per day on unpaid labour, over five times more than men, who averaged just 47 minutes.

The gap is even wider in families with young children. A 2021 government survey found that in dual-income households with children under six, women spent over seven hours a day on housework and childcare, compared to less than two hours for men.

Some social media users also questioned whether the praise for overseas cleanliness overlooks similar issues within Japan, where public areas can become littered after large events.

Despite the debate, many others defended the fans, arguing that their stadium cleanups should be appreciated rather than criticised.

“There’s nothing embarrassing about it. It’s far better than headlines saying Japanese people are littering abroad,” one user wrote.

The practice has also inspired fans from other countries. A recent viral video showed Portuguese supporters collecting rubbish from stadium seats, with some users crediting Japanese fans for popularising the trend.

With inputs from NDTV