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The Country | The Road to FRANCE98 | The Team | Honours | Coach
Land area: 377 818 kmē Population: 125 479 000 Capital: Tokyo Main cities: Osaka, Kobe, Sapporo System of government: Constitutional Monarchy Head of state: Prime Minsiter : Hashimoto Ryutaro Currency: Yen Time difference: 7 hours ahead of Paris
AFC Zone, Group B:
September 97 Japan - Uzbekistan 6-3 12 September 97 United Araba Emirates - Japan 0-0 28 September 97 Japan - South Korea 1-2 4 October97 Kazakstan - Japan 1-1 11 October 97 Uzbekistan - Japan 1-1 26 October 97 Japan - United Arab Emirates 1-1 1 November 97 South Korea - Japan 0-2 8 November 97 Japan - Kazakstan 5-1
- 13 points
- 17 goals scored
- 9 goals conceded
Play Off
16 November 97 Japan - Iran 3-2 (after extra time)
Goalkeeper: KAWAGUCHI (age 22, 21 caps) Defenders: IHARA (age 30, 109 caps)
AKITA (age 27, 20 caps)
NARAHASHI (age 25, 20 caps)
SOMA (age 26, 43 caps)Mid-field: YAMAGUCHI (age 28, 49 caps)
NAKATA (age 20, 15 caps)
NANAMI (age 24, 36 caps)
KITAZAWA (age 29, 54 caps)Strikers: LOPES (age 28, 4 caps)
MIURA (age 30, 83 caps)Number of players used during the qualifying rounds: 26
National team colours: white and blue
FIFA ranking (on 1 November 1997): 20th
- World Cup: never participated
- Asia Nations Cup: 1992: Winner
Takeshi OKADA
His taking over the reins at the head of the Japanese national team in October 1996 provided the impetus needed for his side to put together a string of impressive results, and reach the World Cup finals for the first time ever. Okada, aged 40, has managed to instil the Japanese team with new confidence, while at the same time introducing a new fast-moving and offensive football.
