Fresh reports out of Tokyo confirm a major leadership shift for Japan’s men’s senior national soccer team is set to take place following next year’s continental championship. Multiple local Japanese media outlets confirmed Thursday that current head coach Hajime Moriyasu will retain his position through the 2024 Asian Cup hosted in Saudi Arabia, after which he will depart his post.
The Japan Football Association held an official meeting Thursday to discuss the future of the senior team’s head coaching role, and according to those same reports, current Japan Under-23 national team manager Go Oiwa has been tapped to take over the top job once the Asian Cup concludes.
Moriyasu, who took over the reins of the senior national side immediately following the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, leaves behind a consistent track record of international results. Under his guidance, Japan advanced to the knockout stage of both the 2022 Qatar World Cup — falling to Croatia in a tense penalty shootout — and the 2023 World Cup, where the team exited the round of 32 after a narrow 2-1 defeat to five-time tournament champion Brazil.
The upcoming 2024 Asian Cup, running from January 7 to February 5 in Saudi Arabia, already has 24 qualified teams, and Japan enters the competition as one of the pre-tournament favorites. Japan has been drawn into Group F for the group stage, where they will face off against Indonesia, defending champion Qatar, and Thailand.
For incoming head coach Oiwa, the path to the top job follows a long career in Japanese soccer. A former defender with a modest playing career, Oiwa earned three senior caps for Japan before retiring and transitioning to coaching in Japan’s domestic professional league. He has held the role of Japan Under-23 manager since 2021, building experience with the next generation of Japanese soccer talent ahead of this promotion.
The coaching vacancy did attract public interest from another high-profile Japanese soccer figure earlier this month: former Japanese international star Keisuke Honda, who recently stated he would be open to taking the senior head coaching role. A attacking midfielder with an decorated international career, Honda earned 98 caps for Japan and represented the country at three consecutive World Cups, with his final appearance coming at the 2018 tournament in Russia.