Japanese athlete Murase recently clinched a gold medal, earning admiration and celebration not only domestically but also from foreign athletes. The applauding foreign players showed a unique camaraderie by expressing their congratulations in Japanese - an uncommon occurrence showing deep respect between sports brethrens.
In Japan, such news often fuels national pride and a sense of unity. The aspect of foreign athletes communicating in Japanese language shows the spread of language and culture and is normally viewed as a demonstration of international rapport and respect.
In the US or EU, such an event would also be deemed as a moment-rich in sportsmanship. It's not uncommon to see players from different nations congratulating each other in their respective languages as a gesture of goodwill and respect in international sports events.