Japan women's soccer team clinches Olympic spot beating North Korea in rare visit to Tokyo

Soccer Football - AFC Women's Olympic Qualifiers - Japan v North Korea - Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan - February 28, 2024 North Korea players pose for a team group photo before the match REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Japanese women's soccer team won a spot at the Paris Olympics on Wednesday after beating their North Korean rivals in a match that also marked the first visit by one of its football teams to Japan in seven years.

The 2-1 victory, following a first leg draw in Saudi Arabia last week, was played at the stadium built for Tokyo Olympic Games. North Korea declined to join that sports gathering, which took place in 2021, citing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.