Upon landing in Tokyo - some 9,260 kilometres away from Dortmund as the crow flies - the team instantly became aware of their popularity in Japan, where they have over six million fans. Almost 1,000 supporters were awaiting their arrival at the airport to give the Black and Yellows a warm welcome to the Japanese capital.

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Maro Reus signs autographs.

Mats Hummels, Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang were welcomed like popstars, while club legends Nobby Dickel and Teddy de Beer were specifically asked after. The fans held beautifully painted signs aloft, some of which were in written in German. The team was overwhelmed by the welcome they received, spending half an hour at the airport signing autographs and taking selfies with supporters.

This enthusiasm is reflected in the statistics too: outside of Germany, Japan is currently the largest consumer of BVB fan merchandise and articles in the world! On a similar note, tickets for Tuesday's friendly match were sold out within 48 hours! (br/pf)

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