Vietnam and Tajikistan are unlikely to ask too many questions of Japan's defense over the coming week, but a Keisuke Honda-sized hole in attack could prove to be more of a problem for national team manager Alberto Zaccheroni.
Japan takes on Vietnam in a friendly in Kobe on Friday before facing the Tajiks in a World Cup qualifier in Osaka four days later, with Zaccheroni's men having taken four points from the campaign so far after a home win over North Korea and an away draw with Uzbekistan.
Both of those results were achieved without injured talisman Honda, and Japan will again have to cope without the attacking midfielder after a knee injury sustained on duty with club side CSKA Moscow.