England and Sweden fans mingled merrily in a trouble-free atmosphere at their opening game in Japan.
Drummers, dancers and girls clad in kimonos greeted the fans as they streamed out of the nearest train station and walked to the stadium in Saitama.
Some 4,000 police were also out in the hope of preventing trouble - but it has so far failed to materialise.
Richard Caborn, Britain's visiting sports minister, said the legislative crackdown on troublemakers was clearly starting to
pay dividends.
But he was reluctant to declare victory over the
English disease of hooliganism.
"I don't know if we'll ever cure it totally," said Caborn.
New laws have forced more than 1,000 known British hooligans to
surrender their passports for the duration of the finals deterring an expensive trip to the Far East.
Britain has also given the names of 541 further potential
troublemakers to Japanese and South Korean immigration
authorities.
"If those measures are working, then we're very pleased," said Ron Hogg, head
of a British anti-hooligan police taskforce.
"Certainly we feel very satisfied at the moment."
Fans mixing harmoniously
Supporters from both sides were caught up in the general good feeling surrounding the stadium in Saitama.
Naveed Hussain from Huddersfield said the
presence of fans from so many different countries meant the mood
was quite different from that of other England matches he had
attended.
England fans celebrating the Golden Jubilee weekend
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"It's a really good party atmosphere. There's been no trouble
at all," he said. "Only proper fans have made it this far."
Thousands of bemused police looked on at Swedish fans wearing
Viking helmets and English fans with jesters' hats walked by.
"I think the chances are high that nothing will happen. There
hasn't even been a single report of fighting," said a police
officer on duty outside the stadium.
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