• Light-hearted moment: Japan soccer players (from left) Keisuke Honda, Yoichiro Kakitani, Yasuyuki Konno and Shinji Kagawa smile during a team practice on Thursday in Clearwater, Florida. Japan faces Zambia in its final World Cup tune-up match on Friday. | KYODO
    Light-hearted moment: Japan soccer players (from left) Keisuke Honda, Yoichiro Kakitani, Yasuyuki Konno and Shinji Kagawa smile during a team practice on Thursday in Clearwater, Florida. Japan faces Zambia in its final World Cup tune-up match on Friday. | KYODO
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CLEARWATER, FLORIDA – Coach Alberto Zaccheroni on Thursday attempted to play down a number of fitness worries ahead of Japan’s final tune-up for the World Cup against Zambia, even though captain Makoto Hasebe appears to be a concern less than 10 days before the Asian champion kicks off its Group C campaign against Cote d’Ivoire.

Hasebe, who has been trying to regain full fitness after undergoing knee surgery, played 45 minutes of a 1-0 win over Cyprus in Saitama on May 27 but was rested for Monday’s 3-1 win over Costa Rica in Tampa, Florida.

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