Photo/Illutration Players on the Japanese women’s team don purple wristbands, the color for gender equality, before a friendly match against the United States in Nashville, Tennessee, on Feb. 19. (Takeshi Teruya)

Players on the Japanese women’s national soccer team donned purple wristbands, the color for gender equality, at an annual international friendly tournament in the United States.

The U.S. side offered to make the gesture together with Nadeshiko Japan before they squared off in the SheBelieves Cup on Feb. 19 in Nashville, Tennessee, according to Saki Kumagai, the team captain. 

Kumagai hopes this movement will be an opportunity for players on her team to think about gender equality once again.

“I hope it will also be an opportunity for people watching the games to think about it,” she said.

Japanese players agreed and put the purple bands on their left wrists.

The Canadian team, which earned a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, started the movement at this year’s tournament.

The Canadian players are in a labor dispute regarding their treatment compared with the men’s team, and they are demanding equality.

Canadian players wore shirts that concealed their soccer association emblem during practice.

In their first match against the United States, they wore purple T-shirts. American players wore purple wristbands to show their solidarity.

U.S. forward Megan Rapinoe, who sought to eliminate gender disparity in soccer through legal action against the U.S. Soccer Federation, said more soccer associations and teams are getting involved with the movement. 

More countries are supporting each other, she added.

Japan and the United States share a long history, and it is special to see players coming together, Rapinoe said.

The No. 1 world-ranked U.S. team defeated Nadeshiko Japan, 1-0, in the friendly.

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