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Japanese national football team

 Japan
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) サムライ・ブルー
(Samurai Blue)
Association 日本サッカー協会
(Japan Football Association)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation EAFF (East Asia)
Head coach Vahid Halilhodžić
Captain Makoto Hasebe
Most caps Yasuhito Endō (152)
Top scorer Kunishige Kamamoto (80)
FIFA code JPN
FIFA ranking
Current 52 Decrease 6 (9 February 2017)
Highest 9 (February–March 1998)
Lowest 62 (December 1992)
Elo ranking
Current 27 Increase 4 (18 January 2017)
Highest 8 (August 2001, March 2002)
Lowest 60 (September 1962)
First international
 Japan 0–5 China 
(Tokyo; 9 May 1917)
Biggest win
 Japan 15–0 Philippines 
(Tokyo; 27 September 1967)
Biggest defeat
 Japan 2–15 Philippines 
(Tokyo; 10 May 1917)
World Cup
Appearances 5 (first in 1998)
Best result Round of 16, 2002 and 2010
Asian Cup
Appearances 8 (first in 1988)
Best result Champions, 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011
Copa América
Appearances 1 (first in 1999)
Best result Group Stage, 1999
Confederations Cup
Appearances 5 (first in 1995)
Best result Runners-up, 2001

The Japan national football team (サッカー日本代表 Sakkā Nippon Daihyō?) represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the governing body for association football in Japan. The current head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.

Japan is one of the most successful football teams in Asia, having qualified for the last five consecutive FIFA World Cups with second round advancements in 2002 & 2010, and having won the AFC Asian Cup a record four times in 1992, 2000, 2004 & 2011. The team has also finished second in the 2001 FIFA Confederations Cup. Their principal continental rivals are South Korea and, most recently, Australia.

Japan is the only team from outside the Americas to participate in the Copa América, having been invited in 1999 and 2011. Although they initially accepted the invitation for the 2011 tournament, the JFA later withdrew following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.


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