Gamba Osaka midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi is hoping to vindicate Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic's handing him his first crack at the national team for Friday's friendly against Oman and a crunch World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia next week in Saitama.
The Rio Olympian was called up after some eye-catching performances with Gamba and got his first taste of action with the senior side as its training camp got under way in Kashima on Sunday.
"It was a really enjoyable atmosphere. I was a bit nervous but the whole squad had not got together yet, and everything starts from here," said the 20-year-old Ideguchi, one of 12 players to go through a light one-hour work out in chilly conditions on the Ibaraki coast.