'Different from Korea': Japan Abandons Wildcard, Boldly Declares Asian Games Victory "We Are Aware of High Expectations... Athletes in Peak Condition"

*This content was translated by AI.

'The goal of Japan's men's national football team, host nation of the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, extends beyond winning this tournament. Head coach Kō Oiwata has set his sights on securing the gold medal with an under-21 (U-21) squad without using any wildcards and ultimately conquering the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

'Tokyo Sports,' a Japanese media outlet, focused its coverage on the 15th, reporting that "the Japan U-21 men's national football team led by Coach Oiwata has issued a bold declaration ahead of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games."

Coach Oiwata attended an official press conference on the 16th ahead of the group stage opener against Hong Kong at Toyota Stadium in Japan. Since the 13th, Japan has begun intensive training primarily with domestic-based players. Coach Oiwata stated, "All players are maintaining excellent condition," and added, "We will enter our first match after completing all final preparations perfectly."

Continuing, Coach Oiwata remarked, "Having won the U-23 Asian Cup last January, other nations may now view us differently. It is crucial not to rest on our laurels as Asian champions but to demonstrate a determined attitude of fighting hard in every match," emphasizing that vigilance must never be lowered.

While the age limit for participation in this tournament is under-23, Japan chose not to use any of its three wildcards, filling all 23 roster spots exclusively with players aged 21 or younger. This strategic move looks ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics two years from now. Japan has consistently maintained a policy of sending U-21 players to recent Asian Games and other tournaments like the AFC U-23 Asian Cup to gain valuable match experience.

Coach Oiwata stressed, "Japan's ultimate objective is the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Beyond merely qualifying for the Olympic tournament, our final goal is to confidently advance through the knockout stages and claim the gold medal. This Asian Games serves as a critically important stage on the roadmap toward that target."

He further raised his voice, saying, "Many fans are showing us great expectation and interest. Regardless of win or loss, we will build a team that inspires people to cheer for us until the very end."

Since taking charge of the Japan U-21 national team in December 2021, Coach Oiwata has consistently delivered results. He led the team to victory at the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup, securing qualification for the Paris Olympics, and guided them to the quarterfinals without using any wildcards at the Paris Games themselves. Last January, he also achieved back-to-back titles at the U-23 Asian Cup with the U-21 squad. Recognized for his coaching abilities, Coach Oiwata is scheduled to concurrently serve as head coach of both the Japan Olympic team and the senior men's national team starting in March next year.

Meanwhile, the South Korean men's U-23 national football team, led by Coach Lee Min-seong, aims to achieve a historic fourth consecutive Asian Games title in this tournament.

South Korea will face Qatar in their opening Group D match at Mizuho Rugby Stadium in Nagoya, Japan, on the 15th at 7:30 p.m., followed by a second group stage match against Saudi Arabia at the same venue on the 22nd. Originally scheduled to be in the same group as Iraq, that team has withdrawn from the tournament, resulting in only 15 teams participating in the men's football event. Consequently, Group D will consist of just three teams playing a round-robin format.

While having one fewer group stage match than other groups offers an advantage in terms of physical management, advancement to the quarterfinals and final group standings will be determined solely by the results of these two matches, leaving no room for even the slightest error.

The sole objective is the gold medal. During training camp, Coach Lee Min-seong stated, "It doesn't matter if four teams are in one group. In fact, securing just one victory increases our chances of reaching the quarterfinals." He added, "Every match must be approached with the mindset that it is a final. Having prepared diligently for Qatar and Saudi Arabia, we will deliver an overwhelming performance from the very first group stage match to achieve excellent results," vowing certain victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.