The Japan Football Association announced on July 23 that Hajime Moriyasu will remain the senior men's national team coach until the conclusion of the 2027 Asian Cup in February 2027, after which Go Oiwa will take over the role [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. Moriyasu, 57, has led Japan since 2018 and is the first coach to guide the team through two World Cups—in 2022 in Qatar and the recent 2026 tournament across Canada, Mexico, and the US [1, 2, 3, 5, 6].
At the 2026 World Cup, Japan reached the round of 32 before a narrow 2-1 stoppage-time loss to Brazil [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The team currently ranks 17th in FIFA standings, up from below 50th when Moriyasu began his tenure [2, 3]. "Whether it is four years, two years, one year or six months, my mindset remains the same towards the goal... that Japan will win the World Cup by 2050," Moriyasu said [1].
Go Oiwa, 54, who coaches Japan’s Under-21 national team, will remain in that position while preparing to lead the senior side [1, 2, 3, 5, 6]. Japan Football Association national team director Masakuni Yamamoto praised Oiwa's track record, citing his leadership of Kashima Antlers to the 2018 AFC Champions League title and guiding Japan's Olympic team to the 2024 Paris Olympics quarterfinals. "Mr Oiwa has demonstrated his aptitude with his track record," Yamamoto said [2, 3].
Japan opens its Group F campaign at the 24-team Asian Cup on January 11, 2027, against Indonesia in Saudi Arabia [1, 6]. Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto stressed the importance of winning the Asian Cup to improve Japan’s FIFA ranking. "It’s important to win the Asian Cup to raise our rankings as much as possible. To win the Asian Cup, we want to count on the strength that Moriyasu’s team showed in continuously winning in Asia (in the World Cup qualifying rounds). But as we also have to look ahead to four years from now and beyond, I also thought about the need for a breath of fresh air," Miyamoto said [2, 3, 5].
Moriyasu pledged full commitment through the end of his contract. "Together with my staff, I will do the best I can to produce a result within this period of contract and pass the baton in a positive manner to my successor," he said [2].
