Alkass Digital
Only 14 players from the 26 that featured in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 remain in Japan's AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 squad but Hajime Moriyasu is confident that a record-extending fifth title is within reach.
Japan head coach Moriyasu admits that he still has lingering fustration from missing out in UAE 2019, with Qatar denying them in the final.
Missing from Japan's squad are some big names but Moriyasu said he has "assembled the best members to win", with the Samurai Blue last having lifted the AFC Asian Cup trophy in 2011.
"I've been saying we'll look to win the Asian Cup after setting our short- and mid-term targets, as well as the long-term target that is the 2026 World Cup," said Moriyasu to Kyodo News.
"There are no easy opponents nor is it an easy tournament, so no changes there from the last to this one... The difference is I have lingering frustration from missing the title last time out and also the desire to grind out results in Asia as we've set a high target of winning on the world stage."
Japan's final squad was decided at a staff meeting on January 1, held right after a 5-0 home friendly win over Thailand, and the announcement made clear how tough the competition for places is.
The omissions of Lazio's Daichi Kamada and Celtic's Kyogo Furuhashi were not novel from Moriyasu, with neither hitting their past heights this season. But players contracted to such established clubs not being called up would have been inconceivable not so long ago.
Ao Tanaka's omission was more of a shock given he had been omnipresent since his introduction helped turn Moriyasu's fortunes around during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with his memorable winner against Spain in the Finals in Qatar a high point.
"More players are playing at a high level and we're getting to choose also at a high level amid fierce competition among the players," said Moriyasu.
"I believe the turnover demonstrates lots of Japanese players are developing abilities to compete on the world stage. I'm trying to watch them as neutrally as I can, and I can say we have this many good players coming through...We have a set of members who are not fixed but (who still) can play at a high level."
Japan open their Group D campaign against Vietnam on Sunday with matches against Iraq (January 19) and Indonesia (January 24) to follow.