- An otter grew to become Japan’s darling in a single day for predicting the nation’s destiny in a World Cup match.
- Taiyo, an 8-year-old otter, deposited a mini soccer ball right into a bucket bearing the Japanese flag.
- A day later, Japan’s soccer crew beat Germany 2-1 in a shock victory.
An oracle otter in Japan has turn out to be the speak of the city after precisely predicting Japan’s shock 2-1 victory over Germany at each nations’ first World Cup match.
Taiyo, an 8-year-old otter at Maxell Aqua Park Shinagawa in Tokyo, was introduced out on November 22 to attempt to predict the winner, per Sankei News. This was in the future earlier than Japan’s November 23 match against Germany, who had been the favorites to win that match-up.
However Taiyo snubbed the purple bucket with the German flag and the yellow bucket with the phrase “draw” on it. Clutching a miniature soccer ball in his claws, he scooted over to a blue bucket — representing Japan’s Samurai Blue soccer crew — and plopped the ball in.
A day later, Japan beat four-time world champions Germany 2-1.
Following Japan’s win, Japanese soccer followers began praising the otter for being “superb” and “extraordinarily competent,” reported The Mainichi.
Some Twitter customers, too, had been elated by Taiyo the otter’s correct prediction.
“Lmao the otter made me $150. Ty Mr otter,” wrote one Twitter person.
—Jeffrey J. Corridor 🇯🇵🇺🇸 (@mrjeffu) November 23, 2022
Japan has used otters prior to now as a method of predicting World Cup match victories. However an otter named Chippu in Himeji mistakenly predicted Japan’s loss throughout a 2014 match in opposition to Greece. The otter picked Greece to win, however the match led to a draw.
Japan’s next match is in opposition to Costa Rica on November 27.