TOKYO - Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said Friday the immediate target of winning the Asian Cup was behind the unorthodox decision to retain national team manager Hajime Moriyasu on a short-term contract.
Moriyasu will extend his eight-year tenure as the Japan manager until the tournament in Saudi Arabia at the start of next year before current Japan under-21 manager Go Oiwa starts doubling as the Samurai Blue manager.
Moriyasu guided Japan to the last 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where they beat Germany and Spain, while his team exited this year's tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States in the round of 32 after a 2-1 defeat to Brazil.
"As we've experienced at the World Cup, the placing in the (FIFA) rankings makes a significant difference," Miyamoto told a press conference. "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, who captained Japan at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, said the JFA initially thought about appointing a foreign manager before concluding "inheritance and evolution" was the way forward for the country.
"We had various discussions on whether to start from scratch with a new foreign manager and coaching staff, or make the most of what we have, and we thought we should prioritize inheritance," he said.
Moriyasu, who according to Miyamoto was asked in May about staying on as manager until the Asian Cup, said his "motivation does not change" with the length of his contract as he always looks to help Japan achieve their aim of winning the World Cup by 2050.
"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," Moriyasu said.
JFA's National Team Director Masakuni Yamamoto was grateful for the contribution of Moriyasu, who steered Japan from below 50th in the FIFA rankings in 2018 up to the current 17th, while backing future manager Oiwa.
"Mr. Oiwa has demonstrated his aptitude with his track record," Yamamoto said of the 54-year-old, who led Kashima Antlers to the Asian Champions League title in 2018 and Japan's Olympic team to the quarterfinals in 2024 in Paris.
Oiwa, who secured back-to-back U-23 Asian Cup titles in 2024 and 2026, will concentrate on his work with the current U-21 side who will compete in the Asian Games in Aichi Prefecture from September.
