Japan World Cup Team

Japan Headlines

World Cup post-game: Paraguay wins on penalties: South America will have yet another quarter-finalist at the FIFA World Cup as Paraguay defeated Japan 5-3 in penalty kicks Tuesday in Pretoria, South Africa.
Japan's Nakamura ends international career: Japan midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura has announced his retirement from international football.
Okada won't be back as Japan coach: Japan coach Takeshi Okada feels his work is done despite the team falling short of his lofty goal of reaching the World Cup semifinals.
Paraguay holds its nerve: The Paraguayans held their nerve in the penalty shootout against Japan and are now on their way to the quarter-finals at the World Cup.
Paraguay beats Japan on penalty kicks: Paraguay waited 80 years to make the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals, and needed an extra 40 minutes to eliminate Japan via penalty kicks in Pretoria on Tuesday.
World Cup post-game: Japan 3, Denmark 1: Japan is through to the second round of the FIFA World Cup following a convincing 3-1 win over Denmark on Thursday in Rustenburg, South Africa.
Japan free kick prowess dooms Danes: Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo scored on blistering free kicks 13 minutes apart to lead Japan over Denmark in what amounted to an elimination game at the World Cup in Rustenburg.
Bendtner an X-factor: Japanese coach: Japan coach Takeshi Okada is predicting a tough encounter against Denmark in the team's final World Cup group match Thursday, especially if Danish forward Nicklas Bendtner is fit to play.
World Cup post-game: Netherlands 1, Japan 0: The Netherlands is on the verge of qualifying for the second round of the FIFA World Cup following a 1-0 win over Japan on Saturday in Durban, South Africa.
Sneijder goal gives Dutch a treat: Wesley Sneijder scored on 53 minutes to give the Netherlands a 1-0 victory over Japan in Group E action at the FIFA World Cup on Saturday afternoon.
World Cup post-game: Japan 1, Cameroon 0: Keisuke Honda scored late in the first half to lift Japan to a 1-0 World Cup victory over Cameroon Monday in Group E action from Bloemfontein, South Africa.
Cameroon falls to Japan: Cameroon was unable to get past Japan in its first match at the FIFA 2010 World Cup on Monday.
Keiji Tamada: The sharpest sword: Keiji Tamada is not strong, but he is well-balanced and that makes him hard to dispossess — he'll twist and sway while dribbling the ball, befuddling defenders.
Breaking down the Asian qualifiers: The form of the South Korean side in the run-up to the finals has been such that there is no need for pessimism -- the Koreans have proven themselves well equipped for this year's World Cup.
Yasuhito Endo: Japanese General: Japan's Yasuhito Endo is renowned for his patience when standing up against an attacker and is always well-positioned to win the ball and ignite the offence with an intelligent stroke of the ball.
England steals friendly from Japan: England missed a penalty but came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in a World Cup warmup match on Sunday thanks to two own goals.
Japan under pressure after loss to South Korea: Japanese coach Takeshi Okada is questioning his very ability to lead his troops in South Africa after Japan's 2-0 loss to South Korea in a friendly on Monday.
South Korea brimming with confidence: Aside from being Asia's representatives at the 2010 World Cup, Australia, Japan and North Korea have something else in common: all have been beaten recently by South Korea.
No spot for Ono on Japan's World Cup sqaud: Japanese coach Takeshi Okada on Monday named his 23-man roster for next month's World Cup, choosing to leave UEFA Cup-winning midfielder Shinji Ono at home.
Ono makes case for Japanese World Cup team: Veteran midfielder Shinji Ono is making a case for selection to Japan's World Cup squad with some impressive performances for J-League leader Shimizu S-Pulse.
Japan gets a World Cup reality check: Any sense of optimism or hope for success at the World Cup amongst Japanese fans all but evaporated following a 3-0 loss against Serbia last week.
Japan shut out in World Cup warmup: Japan's players were booed off the pitch Wednesday after losing 3-0 to Serbia in a World Cup warmup match in Osaka.
Japan shooting for World Cup semifinals: Midfielder Yasuhito Endo believes Japan can match the best performance ever by an Asian side at the World Cup by reaching the last four in South Africa.
Shunsuke Nakamura heading home: The return from exile of Asia's highest profile players continues apace as Shunsuke Nakamura prepares to pack his bags and head for Barcelona's El Prat airport.
Questions being asked about Okada: If coach Takeshi Okada isn't worrying about the form of his Japan team, perhaps it's time he started, especially with the World Cup just around the corner.
Japan coach Okada under pressure to improve team: Japan coach Takeshi Okada has been warned over unacceptable team form but will remain in charge for the World Cup, the Japan Football Association said Monday.
Asian teams wasting time with meaningless tournaments: Asian teams such as Japan and South Korea are playing in meaningless tournaments - instead of arranging challenging friendlies - in the buildup to this summer's World Cup.
Seol Ki-hyeon, Inamoto come home: South Korea's Seol Ki-Hyeon and Junichi Inamoto of Japan are just two Asian stars who have returned home from Europe in order to boost their World Cup chances.
Ogasawara earns Japan recall: Coach Takeshi Okada's decision to include Mitsuo Ogasawara in his roster for an upcoming friendly could open the door for the veteran midfielder to earn a trip to the World Cup.
Japan's Okada has his work cut out: Japanese national team manager Takeshi Okada is turning into a frustrated figure as the countdown to the World Cup clicks ever closer to June's kick off.
Japan manager Okada backs Nakamura for World Cup: Japan manager Takeshi Okada has backed midfield playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura to regain form and help the national team meet its goal of reaching the 2010 World Cup semifinals.
Japan's coach Okada welcomes World Cup pressure: Japan soccer coach Takeshi Okada expects his national team to thrive under the pressure of playing in a tough group at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Japan's government approves World Cup bid: Japan's government has endorsed the nation's bid to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup, vowing to co-operate in bringing the showcase tournament to the country.
Team Profile: Japan: Japan was the first country to stamp its passport for South Africa, wrapping up a World Cup berth with two games remaining in the Asian qualifiers thanks to a high-powered offence that netted 23 goals.
Japan's Nakamura a free kick specialist: Shunsuke Nakamura is renowned for his near-perfect long passes and his prowess from dead-ball situations. The playmaker's other strength is his versatility, as he can play in midfield, just behind the main strikers, or as a winger