... A Bumpy Past.

TOKYO -- When Saki Kumagai buried the penalty kick that clinched Japan's first Women's World Cup title last July, it touched off a celebration of joy, pride and relief: the joy of defeating the United States for the first time in 26 tries; the pride of upsetting a faster, larger rival; and the relief for a nation still in shock from a devastating earthquake and tsunami months earlier. The triumph was also a watershed for women's soccer in Japan, which has long struggled for legitimacy and financial stability. Attendance at Nadeshiko League games and international matches has skyrocketed, companies have rushed to strike sponsorship deals, and the players on the national squad have become celebrities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]