JAPAN
The
Team
| NAME |
POSITION
|
AGE
|
CLUB |
| |
|
|
|
| Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi |
GK
|
22
|
Yokohama Marinos |
| Noboyuki Kojima |
GK
|
31
|
Belimare Hiratsuka |
| Seigo Narazaki |
GK
|
21
|
Yokohama Flugels |
| |
|
|
|
| Masami Ihara |
D
|
30
|
Yokohama Marinos |
| Naoki Soma |
D
|
26
|
Kashima Antlers |
| Akira Narahashi |
D
|
25
|
Kashima Antlers |
| Yutaka Akita |
D
|
27
|
Kashima Antlers |
| Norio Omura |
D
|
28
|
Yokohama Marinos |
| Eisuke Nakanishi |
D
|
24
|
JEF Utd Ichihara |
| Tadashi Nakamura |
D
|
26
|
Verdy Kawasaki |
| Toshihide Saito |
D
|
28
|
Shimizu S-Pulse |
| |
|
|
|
| Motohiro Yamaguchi |
M
|
28
|
Yokohama Flugels |
| Hidetoshi Nakata |
M
|
20
|
Bellmare Hiratsuka |
| Hiroshi Nanami |
M
|
24
|
Jubilo Iwata |
| Tsuyoshi Kitazawa |
M
|
29
|
Verdy Kawasaki |
| Yasuto Honda |
M
|
28
|
Kashima Antlers |
| Hiroaki Morishima |
M
|
25
|
Cerezo Osaka |
| Takashi Hirano |
M
|
23
|
Nagoya Grampus-8 |
| |
|
|
|
| Kazuyoshi Miura |
F
|
30
|
Verdy Kawasaki |
| Wagner Lopes |
F
|
28
|
Bellmare Hiratsuka |
| Shoji Jo |
F
|
22
|
Yokohama Marinos |
| Masashi Nakayama |
F
|
30
|
Jubilo Iwata |
| Takuya Takagi |
F
|
29
|
Sanfrecce |
| Masayuki Okano |
F
|
25
|
Urawa Red Diamonds |
| Akinori Okano |
F
|
21
|
Cerezo Osaka |
The
Coach
Japan's coach TAKESHI OKADA,
41, who replaced former manager Shu Kamo who wassacked following a dispointing
1-1 draw against Kazakhstan, has become something of a national hero.
Helping to guide Japan into the finals for the first time has made Okada
a natinal celebrity, much in demand by the media and TV. That is
in stark contrast to how it used to be when he worked as Kamo's assistant
for three years since they were appointed to take over the national team
by the Japan Football Association in December 1994. Okada played
for Wesada University and represented Japan 26 times before retiring in
1990 to take up a coaching position with Furukawa FC, now known as the
J-League side JEF United Ichihara.
How
They Qualified
Asia
Final Round Group B
| Japan - Uzbekistan |
6 - 3
|
| UAE - Japan |
0 - 0
|
| Japan - South Korea |
1 - 2
|
| Kazakstan - Japan |
1 - 1
|
| Uzbekistan - Japan |
1 - 1
|
| Japan - UAE |
1 - 1
|
| South Korea - Japan |
0 - 2
|
| Japan - Kazakstan |
5 - 1
|
Playoffs
Final
Table
|
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Pts
|
| South Korea |
8
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
19
|
7
|
19
|
| Japan |
8
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
17
|
9
|
13
|
| UAE |
8
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
9
|
12
|
9
|
| Uzbekistan |
8
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
13
|
18
|
6
|
| Kazakhstan |
8
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
7
|
19
|
6
|
World
Cup Record
NONE