If the Japanese women's soccer team is to achieve its goal of winning a gold medal on home soil at this summer's Tokyo Olympics, it must overcome a disjointed preparation caused by the coronavirus pandemic along with a lackluster track record against elite opponents in recent years.
Members of the 2011 World Cup-winning Nadeshiko Japan side led off the domestic leg of the Olympic torch relay last month under circumstances that reflected some of the obstacles facing the current squad as they gear up for the games kicking off in three months' time.
Rising coronavirus infections prevented spectators from watching as the runners set off from the J-Village training center in northeastern Japan's Fukushima Prefecture, while travel restrictions aimed at curbing the virus prompted a number of overseas-based stars to opt out of the relay.