The third East Asian Cup has kicked off in the Chinese city of Chongqing, no doubt provoking a flurry of questions from the Japanese national team like "what are we doing here?" and "when can we go home?"

This time around the competition is being contested by hosts China, Korea Republic (South Korea), Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Japan. Whilst North Korea might be the last remaining Stalinist state on earth, anyone with a cursory knowledge of East Asian history will know that Japan are the black sheep of that particular group.

History has been the fuel that has fired many a great football rivalry. During his time as England coach, Sven-Göran Eriksson's obvious under-estimation of the rivalry between England and Australia led to an ill-fated friendly at Upton Park that saw Australia thump their English counterparts in a result that almost cost Eriksson his job. More obvious is the rivalry between countries that have been the victims of various wrong-doings over the years - the Netherlands vs Germany remains one of the world game's most hostile international rivalries for a reason.

Spare a thought then for the young men that make up the Japanese national team, and who are thrown like lambs to the slaughter every few years in front of East Asian audiences that are baying for their blood. It's certainly true that of all countries, Japan has been one of the most reticent in acknowledging their role in the bloody conflict that was World War Two. But what that has to do with a group of young footballers representing their country in an international competition, I'm really not sure.

When the spotlight is on him, or when there is political favour to curry, FIFA President Joseph 'Sepp' Blatter is quick to denounce the booing and general disrespect of national anthems during international fixtures. Yet his silence in regard to East Asian relations is deafening. Japan's victory in the 2004 Asian Cup Final in Beijing prompted riots in the Chinese capital. Urawa Reds' only interest in last year's A3 Champions Cup in China was in getting out of the tournament with all of their limbs in tact. The atrocious refereeing, the scuffling between fans, the general increase in hostility between nations taking part in these international competitions leads me to ask the question, "what's the point?"

I clash regularly with Australian fans who wish to claim to anyone within earshot that Australia joining the Asian Football Confederation is the best thing to happen since sliced bread. Certainly the standard of football in Australia will improve. But when I hear Australian fans suggesting that Australia "must" send a team to competitions like the East Asian Cup - as if they'll find a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, I can only shake my head and laugh. The East Asian Cup seems to serve no other purpose than for some countries to take out their historical grievances with other countries on the football pitch. No one cares about the football. It's all about the history. Yet history, it seems, sometimes teaches us nothing all.