Two more England fans turned back

Two more England football supporters have been sent back from Japan.

Mark Holden, 33, from Burnley, was refused entry by immigration authorities at Narita airport in Tokyo, the UK's National Criminal Intelligence Service said today.

Holden was not among the 1,007 England supporters who have had their passports confiscated under banning orders. But he was among hundreds who have had their profiles passed to Japanese police by NCIS.

He was convicted of threatening behaviour towards a police officer during the last World Cup in 1998 and was sentenced to two months, police said. A travelling companion of Holden, who has not been named, was also refused entry to Japan. They were stopped a few days after James Benedict Rayment, 34, from Banbury and his travelling companion were halted on arrival.

The first England fan to be turned away from this World Cup, Derby County supporter Andrew Cooper, 37, was sent back to Germany last week after being refused entry to South Korea.He also was not subject to a banning order but had been sentenced to four months' jail in 1999 for possessing CS gas.

The price being quoted for black market tickets for England's opening game against Sweden has already reached £400.

But that is almost certain to rise as more England supporters arrive for Sunday's sell-out match, particularly as plans to scrutinise the identity of every ticket holder have been dropped as unworkable.

The decision opens the way for touts to cash in, particularly on games involving England, who are expected to bring more fans than any other country.

Some 650 riot police have already been sent to the northern city of Sapporo, even though England do not play Argentina there for 10 days. At the Saitama stadium near Tokyo, 100 uniformed police have started preparations for Sunday.