In a devastating blow to Japan's World Cup ambitions, star winger Kaoru Mitoma has been left off the squad for this summer's tournament, dealing a major setback to the Samurai Blue's hopes of making history by advancing past the Round of 16 for the first time.
The 28-year-old Brighton star suffered a hamstring injury during his club's emphatic 3-0 Premier League victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend. After assessing the damage, Japan's medical team delivered the grim verdict that Mitoma simply wouldn't have enough time to regain full fitness before the tournament kicks off.
"The medical team assessed that it would be difficult for him to get back to fitness during the tournament," head coach Hajime Moriyasu announced while unveiling his final 26-man roster in Tokyo.
The bad news didn't stop there for Japan fans. Monaco forward Takumi Minamino, another key attacking weapon, also misses out after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee back in late December.
These absences cast a shadow over what was already a daunting Group F assignment. Japan will face the Netherlands, Sweden, and Tunisia, with their campaign opening against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.
Mitoma's absence is particularly painful given his recent heroics for the national team. Just last March, he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley, announcing himself on one of football's biggest stages. More importantly, he was instrumental in Japan's stunning 2022 World Cup campaign in Qatar, playing a key role in those unforgettable upset victories over Germany and Spain before the team ultimately fell to Croatia on penalties in the Round of 16.
There is some positive news, however. Ajax defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has been named to the squad despite not having played for Japan since June 2024 due to his own injury struggles. The experienced Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada, Liverpool's Wataru Endo, and Real Sociedad's exciting young talent Takefusa Kubo have all been included and will be expected to shoulder more responsibility in Mitoma's absence.
Wolfsburg's Kento Shiogai, who earned his first international cap in Japan's 1-0 win over Scotland in Glasgow this past March, has also earned his place on the plane.
As Japan prepares for what promises to be a challenging campaign, fans will be hoping the remaining stars can channel the spirit of 2022 and write a new chapter in the nation's football story—even without their brightest attacking light.