The Blue Samurai will be mere participants
The result of this approach has been predictable for most of their World Cup fixtures; crushing defeats against superior opponents and avoidable losses to teams at their level.
Japan recently appointed Akira Nishino to replace Vahid Halilhodzic as coach, and the new man in charge wisely prioritised bringing exiled stars such as Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagwa and Shinji Okazaki back into the fold. The reintroduction of that experience and quality alone boosts Japan’s chances in Russia by about 200 per cent, but that doesn’t say much for their prospects.
How they play
Japan has for long favoured a possession-based attacking style, and while it works against opponents from the Asian confederation, the team’s friendlies against superior opposition have provided little evidence to show it will work at the World Cup.
Strengths
The Blue Samurai possess adequate technical ability to trouble any of their opponents in Group H.
Weaknesses
An inability to defend has been Japan’s eternal handicap, in spite of the fact that the team now boasts defenders who feature in some of Europe’s top leagues.
Star man
Shinji Kagawa has not turned out as good as he should have, partly because the 29-year-old has been in and out of the treatment room. When fit, Kagawa is arguably the best Asian player.
One to watch
Arsenal striker Takuma Asano (on loan to Stuttgart last season) was one of the heroes of Japan’s qualifying campaign.
Prospects
There is little to show Japan is going forward. Not even those dubious Fifa rankings, which show Japan is now ranked 60th in the world, which is only 14 places above Uganda, and only better than Russia, Saudi Arabia and South Korea of the teams which qualified for the World Cup. It is unlikely the Blue Samurai will be better than any of Poland, Colombia or Senegal; the bare minimum required to get out of Group H.
World Cup Low
A 4-1 defeat at the hands of Colombia confirmed Japan as the bottom team in their group as they crashed out at the group stage at Brazil 2014.
World Cup Legend
Hidetoshi Nakata is one of Japan’s biggest football exports ever and he played in every match for the Blue Samurai at their first three World Cups.
Fifa ranking
Japan are ranked No.60 by Fifa.
Coach
Akira Nishino
Fact file
How they qualified:
Finished top of Asia final qualifying Group B
WC Appearances: 5
World Cup Record: 1998 - First round;
2002 - Second round; 2006 - First round;
2010 - Second round; 2014 - First round
Overall Record: P17, W4, D3, L10
Best performance: Second round in 2002
and 2010
WC High: Japan’s 3-1 win over Denmark at South Africa 2010 was the country’s most comprehensive at a World Cup yet and helped secure a second round berth.
Probable XI
1. Eiji Kawashima
2. Hiroki Sakai
3. Maya Yoshida
4. Tomoaki Makino
5. Yuto Nagatomo (captain)
6. Makoto Hasebe
7. Yuya Kubo
8. Hotaru Yamaguchi
9. Shinji Kagawa
10. Kesiuke Honda
11. Shinji Okazaki
