There are few if any positives to take from Japan's hugely disappointing World Cup campaign, but the team must make sure that the lessons of Brazil do not go unheeded.

Japan set the seal on its early exit from the tournament with a 4-1 defeat to Colombia on Tuesday, showing far more fight than in its previous two matches but ultimately losing to a superior side that proved ruthless on the counterattack.

The result leaves Japan on the first plane home with feelings of hurt and disappointment still too raw to contemplate, with the after-effects of such a dismal showing likely to linger for some time to come.