Japan, which holds the record for the most Asian Cup championships, will begin its campaign for title No. 5 in January in Pool D, where it was drawn with Indonesia, Vietnam and 2017 champion Iraq on Thursday.
"We've been put in an extremely difficult group," Samurai Blue manager Hajime Moriyasu said. "Our objective is winning the championship. We must not forget to enjoy this as we take on the challenge."
Japan, ranked 20th in the world, lost the 2019 final against Qatar with Moriyasu at the helm. Despite his team's top seeding in the pool against 67th-ranked Iraq, 95th-ranked Vietnam, currently led by former Japan coach Philippe Troussier, and 149th-ranked Indonesia, he urged caution.