Japan U23 have played international football since 1921, competing in FIFA World Cup qualifying and continental tournaments.
Overview
The Japan U23 national football team represents Japan in international competitions restricted to players aged 23 and under, most notably the Olympic Games and the AFC U23 Asian Cup. The team is administered by the Japan Football Association, which was founded in 1921 and is affiliated with both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. Japan has historically been one of the stronger sides in Asian youth and Olympic football, qualifying for multiple Olympic tournaments over the decades.
The squad draws players from domestic clubs in the J.League as well as from clubs abroad. Among the current notable players are R. Araki, T. Hamasaki, M. Kobayashi, R. Ichihara, K. Koizumi, and S. Mori. The team operates as a development pathway, preparing younger players for eventual selection to the senior national side.
Japan's senior national team has not won a FIFA World Cup or AFC Asian Cup, though the senior side has reached the World Cup on multiple consecutive occasions.
Current squad · 23
S. Mori
Yuya Fukunaga
S. Ishibashi
N. Ishiwatari
Y. Nakajima
Y. Ozeki
Y. Shimamoto
K. Yasuda
Y. Yokoyama
H. Ishii
S. Furuya
Y. Michiwaki
Brian Nwadik
