JS async / await with fetch doesn't work like PHP include for JSON file

This code below works in PHP but not in JS. Can you tell me why? How can I make the pure JS version work?

async function cccrFlow() {
    response = await fetch('assets/club_mems.json');
    club_mems = [];
    club_mems = await response.json(); // DOESN"T WORK
}

function cccrFlow() {
    club_mems = <?php include('assets/club_mems.json');?>; //  WORKS PERFECTLY
}

club_mems.json

[{"Name":"Ahmedistan, Jamshed","clubEXP":"2022-09-15"},{"Name":"Anaizi, Paul N","clubEXP":"2021-01-27"},{"Name":"Anderson, Simon","clubEXP":"2022-06-30"},{"Name":"Ashes, Bob P","clubEXP":"2022-04-21"}]

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