Japan will play its away 2018 World Cup qualifiers in the fall against Afghanistan in Iran and against Syria in Oman, the Japan Football Association announced on Monday.
The second-round qualifier versus Afghanistan will be on Sept. 8 at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. The ground in Oman for the Oct. 8 match against Syria has yet to be decided.
A neutral venue for the two games was being looked into with the foreign ministry advising nationals against traveling to both Afghanistan and Syria.
Vahid Halilhodzic's Japan opens its qualifying campaign for Russia at Saitama Stadium on June 16 against Singapore after warming up with a friendly versus Iraq at Nissan Stadium.