World Cup: Japanese ecstatic after surprise victory over Colombia

Japan basked in the afterglow Wednesday of a surprise victory over Colombia in the soccer World Cup, with the top government spokesman praising the Samurai Blue for making a "historic start" to the tournament.The television viewer rating for the group-stage match stood at an average 42.8 percent for the first half and 48.7 percent for the second half in the Kanto region centered on Tokyo, according to ratings agency Video Research Ltd.Shunichiro Haga, a 77-year-old corporate advisor from Kanagawa Prefecture, was one of the people who were glued to the TV during the game. "That victory was r…READ FULL ARTICLE