New Zealand Football calls off friendly in Japan

New Zealand Football (NZF) called off Thursday a friendly international with Japan scheduled to be played in Tokyo on March 29, saying it was concerned about the possible health and safety risk to players.

   The New Zealand Under-17 team scheduled to play in the Sanix Cup in Fukuoka has also been withdrawn and re-routed to Doha, Qatar, to continue preparations for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

   Chairman Frank van Hattum said the Japan Football Association (JFA) had proposed moving the friendly to Osaka, saying it was free from any risk arising from the country's nuclear power plant disaster, but "we believe it is prudent to err on the side of caution and withdraw our teams.

   "Our hearts continue to be with the people of Japan and everybody affected by the earthquake as they focus on this period of recovery," Van Hattum said.

   He pledged to try to reschedule the friendly fixture.

   The New Zealand All Whites will play a friendly against China in Wuhan on March 25.