Japan players under South Africa hotel curfew

TOKYO, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Japan’s soccer team have been ordered to stay in their hotel before Saturday’s friendly with 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa because of security fears.

After arriving in Port Elizabeth, the Japanese team were whisked to their hotel and instructed not to go outside, Japan’s Sankei Sports reported on Wednesday.

“If we’re not allowed out then I’ll just sit quietly in my room,” midfielder Yasuhito Endo was quoted as saying on the team’s arrival in the country on Tuesday.

South Africa has one of the world’s highest crime and murder rates, prompting the government to pledge to spend more than $115 million to beef up security for the World Cup. (Reporting by Alastair Himmer; Editing by Peter Rutherford. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)