NEWSWORTHY
A new-look Japan side gave manager Hajime Moriyasu a winning start to his tenure on Tuesday night, beating Costa Rica 3-0 in an international friendly. Takumi Minamino and Junya Ito scored their maiden international goals in the second half at Panasonic Stadium Suita, ensuring a ...
Former Japan star Uchida sees gap in quality as Moriyasu era begins
Following a four-day delay caused by the recent Hokkaido earthquake, Japan's men's soccer team will make their debut under new head coach Hajime Moriyasu on Tuesday against Central American visitors Costa Rica. The Samurai Blue's first match after a World Cup is always a prime ...
A number of sporting events have been postponed or cancelled in the wake of Thursday morning's magnitude 6.7 earthquake in Hokkaido. Friday's scheduled international soccer friendly between Japan and Chile at Sapporo Dome was cancelled. The match was to be Hajime Moriyasu's debut in charge ...
The Japan Football Association is evaluating whether or not Friday's international friendly between Japan and Chile will take place as planned. The match, which would mark the debut of Hajime Moriyasu as Samurai Blue head coach, is scheduled to kick off from 7 p.m. at ...
Akira Nishino reflects on Japan's wild World Cup ride
Former national team manager Akira Nishino admits he still has regrets about Japan's exit from this summer's World Cup in Russia, but he believes the team has a bright future under successor Hajime Moriyasu. "Moriyasu hasn't been a manager for a great deal of time ...
Keisuke Honda's globetrotting career leads to Australia
Six weeks ago, Samurai Blue star Keisuke Honda announced that he had participated in his last World Cup and hinted that retirement was on the table. On Wednesday, he praised Melbourne Victory head coach Kevin Muscat for convincing him not to hang up his boots. "I ...
Hajime Moriyasu appointed manager of Japan men's national team
The Japan Football Association on Thursday asserted its days of reliance on foreign managers was over by naming Japan Olympic squad head coach Hajime Moriyasu to also manage the senior national team. The 49-year-old Moriyasu, who in October took over as head coach of the ...
'All Japan' World Cup team gave fans and the media much to mull over
Regardless of musical chairs with the manager job, the Japanese are basking in the afterglow of having made it to the round of 16 when few people had thought they could pull it off.
A week after returning to Japan following Samurai Blue's round-of-16 defeat to Belgium at the World Cup, Takashi Inui said Thursday the next step is contributing to his new team, Real Betis, in Spain's La Liga. "I want to enjoy playing soccer, and contribute to ...
Hajime Moriyasu emerges as top coaching candidate for Japan national team
Hajime Moriyasu, who will coach Japan's men's team during the soccer competition at the 2020 Olympics, is the top candidate to manage the full national team, sources said Tuesday. The members of the Japan Football Association's technical committee, which is selecting the successor to Akira ...
Japan captain Makoto Hasebe announces international retirement
Japan captain Makoto Hasebe announced Tuesday he is retiring from the national team, a day after the Samurai Blue were knocked out of the World Cup by Belgium. Hasebe took to social media to make the announcement, posting on Instagram that it is time for ...
In wake of World Cup loss to Belgium, Japanese fans look back on unexpected run
Fans of the national soccer team were reflective on Tuesday after Japan's loss to Belgium in the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, with many looking back fondly on their better-than-expected performance in Russia. A win would have secured the team's first ever advancement to the ...
