FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 : Japan will be aiming for their maiden quarterfinals qualification in their seventh successive FIFA World Cup finals appearance when they begin their campaign in Qatar 2022 on November 23.
The Samurai Blue are placed in Group E along with Germany, Costa Rica and Spain.
Since their tournament debut in 1998, Japan have alternated between a group stage exit and a round of 16 departure.
They came agonizingly close to making history at the 2018 World Cup but were cruelly eliminated 3-2 by Belgium following a last-gasp goal by Nacer Chadli.
This time around, the road to the quarterfinals is paved with huge hurdles given they are placed in the Group of death alongside two European heavyweights.
But the Samurai Blue are famous for their resilience.
Japan have an exciting frontline with Monaco's Takumi Minamino, Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo and Eintracht Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada waiting in the wings.
Nicknamed "the Japanese Messi", 21-year-old Kubo may just be the spark Japan need.
With silky moves and lightning-quick feet, the mercurial winger is one to watch following stints at Barcelona's famed youth academy La Masia and Real Madrid's U-19 team.
At the back, Japan look stable with captain Maya Yoshida of Schalke 04, veteran Yuto Nagatomo of FC Tokyo and Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu.
Japan face a daunting Group E with former champions Germany and Spain lying in wait along with a tricky Costa Rica.
Matches played: 21
Won: 5
Drawn: 5
Lost 11
Goal for: 20
Goal against: 21
Date: November 23
Match 1: Germany vs Japan
Time (IST): 6:30 PM
Venue: Khalifa International Stadium
Date: November 27
Match 2: Japan vs Costa Rica
Time (IST): 3:30 PM
Venue: Al Rayyan Stadium
Date: December 2
Match 3: Japan vs Spain
Time (IST): 12:30 AM
Venue: Khalifa International Stadium
GOALKEEPERS: Shūichi Gonda (Shimizu S-Pulse), Eiji Kawashima (Strasbourg), Daniel Schmidt (Sint-Truiden)
DEFENDERS: Ko Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Hiroki Ito (Stuttgart), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Hiroki Sakai (Urawa Red Diamonds), Shogo Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Takehiro Tomiyasu (Arsenal), Miki Yamane (Kawasaki Frontale), Maya Yoshida (Schalke)
MIDFIELDERS: Ritsu Dōan (Freiburg), Wataru Endo (Stuttgart), Junya Ito (Reims), Daichi Kamada (Eintracht Frankfurt), Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad), Ao Tanaka (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Takumi Minamino (Monaco), Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton), Hidemasa Morita (Sporting CP), Gaku Shibasaki (Leganés), Yuki Soma (Nagoya Grampus)
FORWARDS: Takuma Asano (Bochum), Shuto Machino (Shonan Bellmare), Daizen Maeda (Celtic), Ayase Ueda (Cercle Brugge)
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