Having successfully reached the last six World Cup tournaments, Japan is one of the hopes for the Asian continent.
In 2002 and 2010, they managed to reach the second round and have won the AFC Asian Cup four times in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011.
Known as the Samurai Blue, they have finished second in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup and their continental rivals are South Korea and most recently, Australia.
The Japanese had their fair share of problems regarding coaching as manager Javier Aguirre was sacked after the 2015Asian Cup and was replaced by their current coach, Vahid Halilhodzić in March 2015.
Although they started their World Cup campaign on a rough note after losing to the United Arab Emirates 2-1 at home, they picked up the pace in their other qualifier games against Iraq, Australia, and Thailand, picking up five wins and two draws.
Coach Halihodzic led his troops to remarkable win over Australia in August this year to reach the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, making it their sixth successive World Cup.
With football development on a high in Asia, Japan will be a surprise package at the World Cup and will want to reach the knockout stages.
epa06859462 Players of Japan react after the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018. Belgium won 3-2.
epa06859096 Axel Witsel of Belgium (L) and Shinji Kagawa of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859098 Shinji Kagawa (L) of Japan and Toby Alderweireld of Belgium in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859099 Thomas Meunier (L) of Belgium and Takashi Inui of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859076 Genki Haraguchi (L) of Japan in action against Yannick Carrasco (R) of Belgium during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
Eden Hazard (L) of Belgium and Shinji Kagawa of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859035 Romelu Lukaku of Belgium of Belgium (L) and Gen Shoji of Japan in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859041 Genki Haraguchi (R) of Japan and Jan Vertonghen of Belgium in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06859065 Axel Witsel (L) of Belgium and Gaku Shibasaki of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
Romelu Lukaku of Belgium (L) and Maya Yoshida of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 round of 16 soccer match between Belgium and Japan in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, 02 July 2018.
epa06847777 Gaku Shibasaki of Japan (R) and Slawomir Peszko of Poland in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847516 Robert Lewandowski of Poland (L) and Tomoaki Makino of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
Rafal Kurzawa of Poland (L) and Shinji Okazaki of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847566 Poland's Bartosz Bereszynski (L) in action against Japan's Takashi Usami (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847608 Poland's Rafal Kurzawa (L) in action against Japan's Shinji Okazaki (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847498 Hiroki Sakai of Japan (R) and Piotr Zielinski of Poland (C) in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847486 Poland's Jan Bednarek (L) in action against Japan's Yoshinori Muto (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847464 Poland's Piotr Zielinski (L) in action against Japan's Takashi Usami (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06847472 Poland's Jan Bednarek (L) in action against Japan's Shinji Okazaki (R) during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Poland in Volgograd, Russia, 28 June 2018.
epa06836927 Cheikhou Kouyate (L) of Senegal and Takashi Inui (2-L) of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836929 Idrissa Gueye of Senegal and Shinji Okazaki of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836935 Yuto Nagatomo (L) of Japan and Ismaila Sarr of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836874 Youssouf Sabaly of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836890 Hiroki Sakai (L) of Japan and Sadio Mane (2-L) of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836464 Genki Haraguchi of Japan (L) and Youssouf Sabaly of Senegal in action the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
Takashi Inui (L) of Japan and Ismaila Sarr of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836711 Idrissa Gueye (L) of Senegal and Takashi Inui of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836688 Sadio Mane of Senegal (R) and Genki Haraguchi of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
Hiroki Sakai (L) of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836505 Makoto Hasebe (R) of Japan and Alfred N'Diaye of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06836617 Maya Yoshida of Japan (R) and Sadio Mane of Senegal in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Japan and Senegal in Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24 June 2018.
epa06820961 Genki Haraguchi (L) of Japan and Jose Izquierdo of Colombia in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06821042 Yuya Osako (2 L) of Japan celebrates scoring the 2-1 lead during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06821066 Yuya Osako of Japan (R) and Davinson Sanchez of Colombia in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820874 Maya Yoshida of Japan (C) and Radamel Falcao of Colombia (R) in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820860 Davinson Sanchez (L) of Colombia and Takashi Inui of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820864 Juan Quintero (L) of Colombia and Yuto Nagatomo of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820866 Shinji Kagawa (R) of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820838 Juan Cuadrado of Colombia (R) and Yuto Nagatomo of Japan in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820722 Takashi Inui (L) of Japan and Juan Cuadrado of Colombia in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
epa06820826 Genki Haraguchi of Japan (R) and Johan Mojica of Colombia in action during the FIFA World Cup 2018 group H preliminary round soccer match between Colombia and Japan in Saransk, Russia, 19 June 2018.
Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast heads ball past Keisuke Honda of Japan on 14 June 2014 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix
Arthur Boka of Ivory Coast tackles Shinji Okazaki of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Atsuto Uchida of Japan tackles Salomon Kalou of Ivory Coast during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Die Serey of Ivory Coast challenged by Keisuke Honda of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Ismael Tiote of Ivory Coast tackles Shinji Kagawa of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Keisuke Honda of Japan tackled by Arthur Boka of Ivory Coast during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Yuya Osako of Japan plays ball past Salomon Kalou of Ivory Coast during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Maya Yoshida of Japan heads ball past Salomon Kalou of Ivory Coast during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Ismael Tiote of Ivory Coast shields ball from Keisuke Honda of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Yuya Osako of Japan challenged by Didier Zokora of Ivory Coast during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Maya Yoshida of Japan beats Ismael Tiote of Ivory Coast in the air during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast held back by Shinji Okazaki of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast climbs high to head the ball as Yuto Nagatomo of Japan watches on during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Gervinho of Ivory Coast gets away from Maya Yoshida of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Konan Ya of Ivory Coast challenged by Yuto Nagatomo (l) and Yasuhito Endo of Japan (r) during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast heads ball past Keisuke Honda of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
Ismael Tiote of Ivory Coast clears ball from Hotaru Yamaguchi of Japan during the 2014 Brazil World Cup Finals, Group C, football match between Ivory Coast and Japan at the Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil on 14 June 2014
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