Liège
Flag Coat of arms
Liège Location in Belgium
Coordinates: 50°38′N 05°34′E / 50.633°N 5.567°E / 50.633; 5.567
Country	Belgium
Region	Wallonia
Community	French Community
Province	Liège
Arrondissement	Liège
Government
• Mayor	Willy Demeyer (PS)
• Governing party/ies	PS – cdH
Area
• Total	69.39 km2 (26.79 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2011)[1]
• Total	194,715
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,300/sq mi)
Demographics
• Foreigners	16.05% (7 January 2005)
Postal codes	4000–4032
Area codes	04
Website	www.liege.be
Map of Liège

Liège (French pronunciation: [ljɛːʒ]; Dutch: Luik, [lœyk] ( listen); Walloon: Lidje; German: Lüttich; Latin: Leodium; Limburgish: Luuk; Luxembourgish: Léck; until 17 September 1946^[2][3][4] the city's name was written Liége, with the acute accent instead of a grave accent) is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium.

The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse River, near Belgium's eastern borders with the Netherlands and Germany, where the Meuse meets the Ourthe. It is in the former sillon industriel, the industrial backbone of Wallonia. The Liège municipality includes the former communes of Angleur, Bressoux, Chênée, Glain, Grivegnée, Jupille-sur-Meuse, Rocourt, and Wandre.

The city is the principal economic and cultural centre of Wallonia. As of October 2011, Liège has 196,496 inhabitants. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 1,879 km² and has a total population of 749,110 as of 1 January 2008.^[5][6] This includes a total of 52 municipalities, a.o. Herstal and Seraing. Liège ranks as the third most populous city in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp, and the fourth municipality after Antwerp, Gent and Charleroi. (note that the size of the municipality can be relatively small compared to the real size of the agglomeration)^[6]

Etymology[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Liège's Latin form, Leodicum or Leodium, has the Germanic word leod, meaning "people", as its origin. Compare archaic Dutch lui(den), lieden ("people"), Old English lēod (English lede "people"), Old Norse lýðr ("people"), Modern German Leute ("people"), Icelandic lýður ("people"), Norwegian dialectal lyd ("people"). Also related are Russian люди (ljúdi) and Hindi loagh, both meaning "people".

History[link]

Liège in 1650

Early Middle Ages[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Although settlements already existed in Roman times, the first references to Liège are from 558, when it was known as Vicus Leudicus. Around 705, Saint Lambert of Maastricht is credited with completing the Christianization of the region, indicating that up to the early 8th-century the religious practices of antiquity had survived in some form. Christian conversion may still not have been quite universal, since Lambert was murdered in Liège and thereafter regarded as a martyr for his faith. To enshrine St. Lambert's relics, his successor, Hubertus (later to become St. Hubert), built a basilica near the bishop's residence which became the true nucleus of the city. A few centuries later, the city became the capital of a prince-bishopric, which lasted from 985 till 1794. The first prince-bishop, Notger, transformed the city into a major intellectual and ecclesiastical centre, which maintained its cultural importance during the Middle Ages. Pope Clement VI recruited several musicians from Liège to perform in the Papal court at Avignon, thereby sanctioning the practice of polyphony in the religious realm. The city was renowned for its many churches, the oldest of which, St Martin's, dates from 682. Although nominally part of the Holy Roman Empire, in practice it possessed a large degree of independence.

Late Middle Ages and Renaissance[link]

The strategic position of Liège has made it a frequent target of armies and insurgencies over the centuries. It was fortified early on with a castle on the steep hill that overlooks the city's western side. In 1345, the citizens of Liège rebelled against Prince-Bishop Engelbert III de la Marck, their ruler at the time, and defeated him in battle near the city. Shortly after, a unique political system formed in Liège, whereby the city's 32 guilds shared sole political control of the municipal government. Each person on the register of each guild was eligible to participate, and each guild's voice was equal, making it the most democratic system that the Low Countries had ever known. The system spread to Utrecht, and left a democratic spirit in Liège that survived the Middle Ages.^[7]

At the end of the Liège Wars, a rebellion against rule from Burgundy that figured prominently in the plot of Sir Walter Scott's 1823 novel Quentin Durward, Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy, witnessed by King Louis XI of France, captured and largely destroyed the city in 1468, after a bitter siege which was ended with a successful surprise attack. Liège was technically still part of the Holy Roman Empire. After 1477, the city came under the rule of the Habsburgs and, after 1555, under Spanish sovereignty, although its immediate rule remained in the hands of its prince-bishops. The reign of Erard de la Marck (1506–1538) coincides with the Renaissance Liégeoise. During the Counter-Reformation, the diocese of Liège was split and progressively lost its role as a regional power. In the 17th century the prince-bishops came from the Bavarian family Wittelsbach. They ruled over Cologne and other bishoprics in the northwest of the Holy Roman Empire as well.

18th century to World War I[link]

Liège in 1649

The Duke of Marlborough captured the city from the Bavarian prince-bishop and his French allies in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession. In the middle of the eighteenth century the ideas of the French encyclopedists began to be received at Liège; Bishop de Velbruck (1772–84), encouraged their propagation and thus prepared the way for the Revolution Liégeoise, which burst upon the episcopal city on 18 August 1789. In the course of the 1794 campaigns of the French Revolution, the French army took the city and imposed strongly anticlerical regime, destroying the cathedral of Saint Lambert.^{[citation needed]} The overthrow of the prince-bishopric was confirmed in 1801 by the Concordat co-signed by Napoléon Bonaparte and Pope Pius VII. France lost the city in 1815 when the Congress of Vienna awarded it to the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Dutch rule lasted only until 1830, when the Belgian Revolution led to the establishment of an independent, Catholic and neutral Belgium which incorporated Liège. After this, Liège developed rapidly into a major industrial city which became one of continental Europe's first large-scale steel making centres. The Walloon Jacquerie of 1886 saw a large-scale working class revolt.^[8] No less than 6,000 regular troops were called into the city to quell the unrest,^[9] while strike spread through the whole sillon industriel.

Centre of Liège in 1770

Liège's fortifications were redesigned by Henri Alexis Brialmont in the 1880s and a chain of twelve forts was constructed around the city to provide defence in depth. This presented a major obstacle to Germany's army in 1914, whose Schlieffen Plan relied on being able to quickly pass through the Meuse valley and the Ardennes en route to France. The German invasion on August 5, 1914 soon reached Liège, which was defended by 30,000 troops under General Gérard Leman (see Battle of Liège). The forts initially held off an attacking force of about 100,000 men but were pulverised into submission by a five-day bombardment by the Germans' 42 cm Big Bertha howitzers. Due to faulty planning of the protection of the underground defense tunnels beneath the main citadel, one direct artillery hit caused a huge explosion, which eventually led to the surrender of the Belgian forces. The Belgian resistance was shorter than had been intended, but the twelve days of delay caused by the siege nonetheless contributed to the eventual failure of the German invasion of France. The city was subsequently occupied by the Germans until the end of the war. Liège received the Légion d'Honneur for its resistance in 1914.

World War II to the present[link]

The Germans returned in 1940, this time taking the forts in only three days. Most Jews were saved, with the help of the sympathising population, as many Jewish children and refugees were hidden in the numerous monasteries. The German occupiers were expelled by the Allies of World War II in September 1944 but Liège was subsequently subjected to intense aerial bombardment, with more than 1,500 V1 and V2 missiles landing in the city between its liberation and the end of the war.^{[citation needed]}

After the war ended, the Royal Question came to the fore, since many saw king Leopold III as collaborating with the Germans during the war. In July 1950, André Renard, leader of the Liégeois FGTB launched the General strike against Leopold III of Belgium and "seized control over the city of Liège".^[10] The strike ultimately led to Leopold's abdication.

Liège began to suffer from a relative decline of its industry, particularly the coal industry, and later the steel industry, producing high levels of unemployment and stoking social tension. During the 1960-1961 Winter General Strike, disgruntled workers went on a rampage and severely damaged the central railway station Guillemins. The unrest was so intense that "army troops had to wade through caltrops, trees, concrete blocks, car and crane wrecks to advance. Streets were dug up. Liège saw the worst fighting on 6 January 1961. In all, 75 people were injured during seven hours of street battles."^[11]

Liège is also known as a traditionally socialist city. In 1991, powerful Socialist André Cools, a former Deputy Prime Minister, was gunned down in front of his girlfriend's apartment. Many suspected that the assassination was related to a corruption scandal which swept the Socialist Party, and the national government in general, after Cools' death. Two men were sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2004, for involvement in Cools' murder.

Liège has shown some signs of economic recovery in recent years with the opening up of borders within the European Union, surging steel prices, and improved administration. Several new shopping centres have been built, and numerous repairs carried out.

On 13 December 2011, there was a grenade and gun attack at Place Saint-Lambert. An attacker, later identified as Nordine Amrani, aged 33, armed with grenades and an assault rifle, was reported as having attacked people waiting at the bus stop shortly before 1:30 PM CET. Six fatalities were reported, including the attacker (who shot himself), and 123 people were reported injured,^[12] among them a two-year-old child who sustained life-threatening injuries.^[13] Police reported that the situation was "under control" by 2:50 PM.^[14][15]

Climate[link]

Demographics[link]

As of 1 January 2008, the municipality of Liège has a total population of 190,102.^[5] The metropolitan area has about 750,000 inhabitants. Its inhabitants are predominantly French-speaking, with German and Dutch-speaking minorities.

The city is a major educational hub in Belgium. There are 42,000 students attending more than 24 schools. The University of Liège, founded in 1817, has 20,000 students.

Main sights[link]

The stairway of the Montagne de Bueren.

• The 16th century palace of the Prince-Bishops of Liège is built on the Place St Lambert, where the old St. Lambert's Cathedral used to stand before the French Revolution. An archeological display, the Archeoforum, can be visited under the Place St Lambert.
• The perron on the nearby Place du Marché was once the symbol of justice in the Prince-Bishopric and is now the symbol of the city. It stands in front of the 17th century city hall.
• The present Liège Cathedral, dedicated to Saint Paul, contains a treasury and Saint Lambert’s tomb. It is one of the original seven collegiate churches, which include the German-Romanesque St Bartholomew's Church (Saint Barthélémy) and the church of St Martin.
• The church of Saint-James (Saint-Jacques) is probably the most beautiful medieval church in Liège. It is built in the so-called Flamboyant-Gothic style, while the porch is early Renaissance. The statues are by Liège sculptor Jean Del Cour. Saint-Jacques also contains 29 spectacular 14th century misericords.
• The main museums in Liège are: MAMAC (Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art), Museum of Walloon Life, and Museum of Walloon Art & Religious Art (Mosan art). The Curtius Museum is an elegantly furnished mansion from the 17th century along the Meuse River, due to reopen in March 2009 as the expanded Grand Curtius museum housing the collections of the archaeology, decorative arts, religious art and Mosan art museums.
• Other sites of interest include the historical city centre (the Carré), the Hors-Château area, the Outremeuse area, the parks and boulevards along the Meuse river, the Citadel, the 400 steps stairway "Montagne de Bueren", leading from Hors-Château to the Citadel, 'Médiacité' shopping mall designed by Ron Arad Architects and the Liège-Guillemins railway station designed by Santiago Calatrava.

Folklore[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Traditional Liégeois puppets

"Le Quinze Août" celebration takes place annually on 15 August in Outremeuse and celebrates the Virgin Mary. It is one of the biggest folkloric displays in the city, with a religious procession, a flea market, dances, concerts, and a series of popular games. Nowadays these celebrations start a few days earlier and last until the 16th. Some citizens open their doors to party goers, and serve "peket", the traditional local alcohol. This tradition is linked to the important folkloric character Tchantchès (Walloon for François), a hard-headed but resourceful Walloon boy who lived during Charlemagne's times. Tchantchès is remembered with a statue, a museum, and a number of puppets found all over the city.

Liège hosts one of the oldest and biggest Christmas Markets in Belgium.

Culture[link]

Liège, the Sunday "Batte" market

The city is well known for its very crowded folk festivals. The 15 August festival ("Le 15 août") is maybe the best known. The population gathers in a quarter named Outre-Meuse with plenty of tiny pedestrian streets and old yards. Many people come to see the procession but also to drink alcohol and beer, eat cabbage, sausages or pancakes or simply enjoy the atmosphere until the early hours. The Saint Nicholas festival around the 6 December is organized by and for the students of the University; for 24 hours, the students (wearing very dirty lab-coats) are allowed to beg for money for drinking.

Liège is renowned for its significant nightlife. Within the pedestrian zone, there is an area (a 100 × 100 m (328.08 ft × 328.08 ft) square called Le Carré) with many lively pubs which are reputed to remain open until the last customer leaves (typically around 6 am). Another active area is the Place du Marché.

The "Batte" market is where most locals visit on Sundays. The outdoor market goes along the Meuse River and also attracts many visitors to Liège. The market typically runs from early morning to 2 o'clock in the afternoon every weekend year long. Produce, clothing, and snack vendors are the main concentration of the market.

The city annually hosts a significant jazz festival Jazz à Liège.

Liège has active alternative cinemas, Le Churchill, Le Parc and Le Sauvenière. There are also 2 mainstream cinemas, the Kinepolis multiplexes.

Liège also has a particular Walloon dialect, sometimes said to be one of Belgium's most distinctive. There is a large Italian community, and Italian can be heard in many places.

Sport[link]

The city has a number of football teams, most notably Standard de Liège, who have won several championships, and R.F.C. de Liège, one of the oldest football clubs in Belgium. It is also known for being the club who refused to release Jean-Marc Bosman, a case which led to the Bosman ruling.

In Spring Liège also hosts the Liège–Bastogne–Liège cycle race, the oldest of the classic cycle races. The circuit starts from the city of Liège, goes to the city of Bastogne and returns to finish in the Liège suburb of Ans. The second half contains most of the climbs in the race, such as the Stockeu, Haute-Levée, La Redoute, Saint-Nicolas and the Col de Forges. With the 2009 Vuelta a España visiting Liège after four stages in the Netherlands, Liège is the only city that can boast having hosted stages of all three cycling Grand Tours.^[17]

Economy[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

In the past, Liège was one of the most important steel-makng centres in Europe. Starting in 1817, John Cockerill extensively developed the iron and steel industry. The industrial complex of Seraing was the largest in the world. It once boasted numerous blast furnaces and mills. Although now a mere shadow of its former self, steel production and the manufacture of steel goods remain important.

Pont de Fragnée

Liège has also been an important centre for gunsmithing since the Middle ages and the arms industry is still strong with the headquarters of FN Herstal. The economy of the region is now diversified, the most important centres are: Mechanical industries (Aircraft engine and Spacecraft propulsion), space technology, information technology, biotechnology and also production of water, beer or chocolate. A science park south east of the city, near the University of Liège campus, houses spin-offs and high technology businesses.

Transport[link]

Liège is also a very important transport and logistics centre:^[18]

• The city possesses the third largest river port in Europe^[19] directly connected to Antwerp, Rotterdam and Germany via the Meuse river and the Albert Canal.
• In 2011 Liège Airport was the 7th most important cargo airport in Europe. The airport is strongly focused on cargo although a new passenger terminal opened in 2005 is used mainly for charters. It is the main hub and the headquarter of TNT Airways.
• Trains from Liège-Guillemins provide direct railway connections with Brussels, Antwerp, Namur and Charleroi, Luxembourg, Maastricht in the Netherlands, Paris in France, and Aachen in Germany. The city is also connected to the high-speed network. Train times are 40 minutes to Brussels and 2h13 to Paris with the Thalys train. The German ICE links Liège with Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt. Two new high-speed lines (HSL 2 and HSL 3) have been built to connect Liège to the high-speed network.
• The highway network around Liège has 7 branches and is very important for national and international traffic.

Famous inhabitants[link]

Statue of Charlemagne in the centre of Liège

• Pippin the Younger (in French: Pépin le Bref), King of the Franks (born in Jupille, 8th century)
• Charlemagne, King of the Franks, then crowned emperor (birth in Liège uncertain, 8th century)
• Alger of Liège, learned priest (11th century)
• William of St-Thierry, theologian and mystic (11th century)
• Johannes Ciconia (14th century), composer, Master of the Ars Nova
• Jean d'Outremeuse, writer and historian (14th century)
• Jacques Arcadelt, composer (16th century)
• Hubert Naich, composer (16th century)
• Lambert Lombard, painter (1505–1566)
• Theodor de Bry, engraver (1528–1598)
• Louis De Geer Introducer of Walloon Blast furnaces in Sweden (1587–1652]
• Linus of Liège (1595–1675) Counter-reformation critic of Isaac Newton
• Gérard de Lairesse, painter (1640–1711)
• André Ernest Modeste Grétry, composer (1741–1813)
• Hubert Joseph Walther Frère-Orban, statesman (1812–1896)
• César Franck, composer (1822–1890)
• Zénobe Gramme, inventor (1826–1901)
• José Dupuis, creator of many roles in Offenbach's opéras-bouffes (1833–1900)
• Georges Nagelmackers founder of the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits (1845–1905)
• Eugène Ysaÿe, composer and violinist (1858–1931)
• Emile Digneffe, lawyer and politician (1858–1937)
• Gustave Serrurier-Bovy Architect and furniture designer (1858–1910)
• Charles Magnette, lawyer and politician (1863–1937)
• Richard Heintz, Post-Impressionist painter (1871–1929)
• Louis Dewis, Post-Impressionist painter (1872–1946)
• Joseph Jongen, organist, composer, and educator (1873–1953)
• Marie Delcourt, Professor at the University, expert of the ancient Greek religion, Walloon movement activist (1891–1979)
• Jean Rey Old Minister, Walloon movement activist second President of the European Commission (1902–1983)
• Georges Simenon, novelist (1903–1989)
• Stanislas-André Steeman, writer (1908–1970)
• Henri Pousseur composer (1929–2009)
• Violetta Villas, polish singer and actress (1938–2011)
• Jean-Maurice Dehousse Politician, Walloon movement activists, first Minister-President of the Walloon Region
• Gary Hartstein, M.D. Formula 1 (born 1955)
• Groupe µ, team of scientists.
• Corine Bailey, graphic designer and model (born 1967)
• Nicolas Ancion, writer (born 1971)
• Sandra Kim, winner of the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest for Belgium (born 1972)
• Philippe Léonard, football player (born 1974)
• Marie Gillain, International actress (born 1975)
• Justine Henin, top ranked female tennis player (born 1982)
• Axel Hervelle, basketball player (born 1983)
• Nacer Chadli, football player (born 1989)
• Axel Witsel, football player (born 1989)

International relations[link]

Twin towns – Sister cities[link]

Liège is twinned with:

See also[link]

• University of Liège
• Liège Science Park
• Bishop of Liège
• Liège–Bastogne–Liège
• Ratherius
• Liège Island, Antarctica, named after the city

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Liège

Official[link]

• (French) (Dutch) (English) (German) (Wallonian) Official website of the city of Liège
• (French) (Dutch) (English) (Spanish) (German) Liège congres
• (French) (Dutch) (English) (German) Leodium: the touristic and cultural network

v t e Municipalities of the Province of Liège Huy Amay Anthisnes Burdinne Clavier Engis Ferrières Hamoir Héron Huy Marchin Modave Nandrin Ouffet Tinlot Verlaine Villers-le-Bouillet Wanze Liège Ans Awans Aywaille Bassenge Beyne-Heusay Blegny Chaudfontaine Comblain-au-Pont Dalhem Esneux Flémalle Fléron Grâce-Hollogne Herstal Juprelle Liège Neupré Oupeye Saint-Nicolas Seraing Soumagne Sprimont Trooz Visé Verviers Amel Aubel Baelen Büllingen Burg-Reuland Bütgenbach Dison Eupen Herve Jalhay Kelmis Lierneux Limbourg Lontzen Malmedy Olne Pepinster Plombières Raeren Sankt Vith Spa Stavelot Stoumont Theux Thimister-Clermont Trois-Ponts Verviers Waimes Welkenraedt Waremme Berloz Braives Crisnée Donceel Faimes Fexhe-le-Haut-Clocher Geer Hannut Lincent Oreye Remicourt Saint-Georges-sur-Meuse Waremme Wasseiges

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Eiji Kawashima

Personal information
Full name	Eiji Kawashima
Date of birth	(1983-03-20) March 20, 1983 (age 29)
Place of birth	Yono, Saitama, Japan
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Lierse
Number	1
Youth career
1995–1997	Yononishi Junior High School
1998–2000	Urawa Higashi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Omiya Ardija	41	(0)
2004–2006	Nagoya Grampus Eight	17	(0)
2007–2010	Kawasaki Frontale	113	(0)
2010–	Lierse	44	(0)
National team‡
2002–2003	Japan U-20	13	(0)
2008–	Japan	30	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 May 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23 May 2012

Eiji Kawashima (川島 永嗣, Kawashima Eiji^?, born March 20, 1983 in Yono, Saitama) is a Japanese goalkeeper currently playing for Lierse S.K..

Club Career[link]

Turned professional before[link]

Childhood to learn the basics in the local Junior football sport Yahata WELL. That was aspiring goalkeeper from that time. Yono west junior high school is chosen for the selection, Saitama Prefecture, Germany and the Netherlands have made ​​an expedition to experience. Then east Urawa, Saitama high school and then go on to, during the three years championship - national polity - whole high school that participated in all three major national convention and high school football. School grades are excellent, from the surrounding university had been advised to enroll, decided to get along in a professional. But local Urawa Red Diamonds selection is rejected. Another is a local club and then Omiya Ardija decision to join. I decided to acquire the Kawashima was the job of general manager at that time enhanced with Omiya Norio Sasaki (after Japan women's national soccer coach is).

Omiya Ardija[link]

As soon he joined Omiya, Kawashima went overseas to train with Serie A club Parma, and also trained in Italy in January 2001 which ^[1] the clubs to participate in the study, young athletes to compete in "Vignola tournament." The team won, Kawashima himself was elected the best goalkeeper.

Nagoya Grampus[link]

2004 moved from in the story, but multiple microcomputer, a representative of Japan dared Seigo Narazaki have Nagoya Grampus moved to. Narazaki was a stronghold of the mature period of the carrier is tough and continued to live with day-to-day ahead, as a result but the Athens Olympics from representative members of the outside. After the transfer Nagoya had a limited chance to play, such as cup, 2006, in UNICEF-Feruhosen in Nagoya off to a fresh start under new coach, in 2005 the starting lineup on behalf of the Narasaki was injured late in the season. Fierce fighting continued even after regular Narazaki returns. 10 league games this season as a result, J League Cup played in four games. Although a positive seat of GK did not Steal, the appeal was again the height of their abilities.

Kawasaki Frontale[link]

2006 off 2007 season in the AFC Champions League declined to participate in Kawasaki Frontale from receiving the love calls of acquisition, 150 million yen and Kawasaki's club at the time the highest amount ever transfer fee were transferred in full. Showed a more than make up for the position he continues to play a full game from the start of the season all positive as GK, were seen as a weakness of Kawasaki until then.

Lierse S.K.[link]

Following his impressive performance at the World Cup, Kawashima move to Europe by joining a Belgian side Lierse S.K..^{[2] [3]} Following his move to Belgium, Kawashima saying "After I experienced the World Cup, I thought that putting myself in a more competitive environment is the only way I can get better." Kawashima on his move. At Lierse, Kawashima was appointed as GK positive from the opening round, the team was stand in the midst of strife demotion always not blessed with win people in, and suffer a conceded mass every game, the final section Club Bruges in the war, without conceding a goal that have contributed to the residual part of the Riruse he kept to show, the first year was promoted in the reverse, was elected to the team MVP pick of the supporters of Lierse. ^{[4] [5]}

Chanting Incident[link]

In an incident on 19 August 2011, Kawashima was verbally abused and taunted by fans of Germinal Beerschot in a match against Lierse S.K.. Lierse was leading by a goal when Beerschot fans threw a projectile in the direction of Kawashima before insulting him with chants of "Kawashima-Fukushima!" in reference to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. The referee, after being confronted by Kawashima, brought the match to a halt for several minutes until order was restored. Kawashima spoke on the incident, stating "I can pass on many things, but not that. This is not funny. Using the drama of Fukushima in this manner is not at all funny." After the match had ended in a 1-1 draw, Kawashima left the pitch in tears, visibly upset at the insults received from the Beerschot fans.^[6]

In response to their fans' abuse, Beerschot released a club statement where they outlined their stance on the incident. "Our fans have crossed a thin line where a bit of fun turns into something serious. The chants aimed at Lierse goalkeeper Kawashima were offensive and completely out of order", the statement said. However, the statement continued by claiming Kawashima was also culpable for the incident as he provoked the fans. "The Lierse shot-stopper also took part in this as he provoked the Beerschot fans with offensive gestures and facial expressions. Our own goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen on the other hand never reacted to abusive chants and insults from the Lierse faithful." Nonetheless, Beerschot further emphasized that it is completely unacceptable to assert insults of this nature.^[7] This led Beerschot fined The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) 30,000 Swiss francs (2.7 million yen/US$34,920) and RBFA officials apologized to Kawashima and Japanese Ambassador to Belgium Atsushi Yokota over the incident.^[8] In contrast, the club Lierse protests Association football.^[9] , that caused the uproar is Geruminaru posted an apology in Japanese official HP ^[10] , in 22 September, apologized to the president directly Kawashima Fanopen of Geruminaru The.^{[11] [12]}

Was appointed captain of the Riruse from October 2011. 2011-12 season will contribute to the residual part of the team for the second consecutive year as the key to the defense all game played full 36 game against the League Cup, and also dramatically reduce the number of runs was the worst league season before ^[13] was elected to the team MVP, two seasons in a row.^[14]

International Career[link]

Kawashima was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad and was expected to back up Seigo Narazaki who had impressed in the qualifiers. But he started in goal for Japan in a friendly against England on 30 May 2010 and produced numerous saves to keep England goalless for most of the game. He denied Frank Lampard twice, including a penalty kick, and a shot by Wayne Rooney before eventually being beaten by two own goals. He was subsequently selected to play in Japan's first Group E game against Cameroon on 14 June 2010 and was impressive as Japan recorded their first World Cup win on foreign soil with a 1-0 margin. On 19 June 2010, he started against the Netherlands, but was responsible for the Dutch winner as he deflected a shot from Wesley Sneijder into his own net to condemn Japan to a 1-0 defeat. Five days later he played against Denmark and was instrumental in Japan's passage in to the last 16 with a 3-1 win, unluckily denied a clean sheet from the rebound after saving goalscorer Jon Dahl Tomasson's penalty. On 29 June 2010 he kept a clean sheet against Paraguay in the last 16 clash which went to penalties, but was unable to save a single spot-kick as the South Americans won 5-3.

On 13 January 2011, Kawashima was sent off (for causing a penalty) in the group stage match against Syria at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, but Japan went on to win the game 2:1. On 26 January 2011, Kawashima saved two of the penalties that Korea shot in the semi-finals in the Penalty Shoot out. On 29 January 2011, Kawashima kept a clean sheet and was chosen as Man of the Match in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup Final.

Career statistics[link]

Club[link]

Statistics accurate as of match played 7 May 2011^[15][16]

¹Includes Emperor's Cup and Belgian Cup.

²Includes J. League Cup.

³Includes AFC Champions League.

⁴Includes Belgian Pro League Play-offs.

International[link]

As of 7 June 2011

Appearances in major competitions[link]

Team	Competition	Category	Appearances		Goals	Team Record
			Start	Sub
Japan	2002 AFC Youth Championship	U-19	6	0	0	2nd place
Japan	2003 FIFA World Youth Championship	U-20	5	0	0	Quarterfinals
Japan	2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification	Senior	2	0	0	Qualified
Japan	2010 FIFA World Cup	Senior	4	0	0	Round of 16
Japan	2011 AFC Asian Cup	Senior	5	0	0	Champions

Awards and honours[link]

Japan[link]

• AFC Asian Cup: 1

2011

• Afro-Asian Cup of Nations: 1

2007

• Kirin Cup: 3

2007, 2008, 2009

Individual[link]

• AFC U-19 Championship Best Eleven: 1

2002

• J. League Best Eleven: 1

2009

• J. League Fair Play Award: 1

2009

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site (Japanese)
• Eiji Kawashima – FIFA competition record
• Eiji Kawashima at National-Football-Teams.com
• Eiji Kawashima at Lierse S.K. official site

Japan Squad v t e Japan squad – 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship 1 Kawashima 2 Tokunaga 3 Kakuda 4 Kikuchi 5 Nagata 6 Konno 7 Naruoka 8 Kobayashi 9 Mogi 10 Sakata 11 Abe 12 Okamoto 13 Kondo 14 Yamagishi 15 Suzuki 16 Kurihara 17 Unozawa 18 Yazawa 19 Hirayama 20 Yamaguchi Coach: Okuma v t e Japan squad – 2007 AFC Asian Cup Fourth Place 1 Kawaguchi (c) 2 Konno 3 Komano 5 Tsuboi 6 Abe 7 Endō 8 Hanyu 9 Yamagishi 10 S. Nakamura 11 Satō 12 Maki 13 Suzuki 14 K. Nakamura 15 Mizuno 18 Narazaki 19 Takahara 20 Yano 21 Kaji 22 Nakazawa 23 Kawashima 24 Hashimoto 28 Ota 29 Inoha Coach: Osim v t e Japan squad – 2010 FIFA World Cup 1 Narazaki 2 Abe 3 Komano 4 Túlio 5 Nagatomo 6 Uchida 7 Endo 8 Matsui 9 Okazaki 10 S. Nakamura 11 Tamada 12 Yano 13 Iwamasa 14 K. Nakamura 15 Konno 16 Ōkubo 17 Hasebe 18 Honda 19 Morimoto 20 Inamoto 21 Kawashima 22 Nakazawa 23 Kawaguchi (c) Coach: Okada v t e Japan squad – 2011 AFC Asian Cup Champions (4th Title) 1 Kawashima 2 Inoha 3 Iwamasa 4 Konno 5 Nagatomo 6 Uchida 7 Endō 8 Matsui 9 Okazaki 10 Kagawa 11 Maeda 12 Moriwaki 13 Hosogai 14 Fujimoto 15 T. Honda 16 Kashiwagi 17 Hasebe (c) 18 K. Honda 19 Lee 20 Nagata 21 Nishikawa 22 Yoshida 23 Gonda Coach: Zaccheroni