Japan get their World Cup campaign underway this afternoon with Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu featuring amongst the substitutes against Germany.
Group E is considered as one of the toughest groups in the tournament and the Samurai Blue will be hoping Tomiyasu can carry his brilliant form for the Gunners into the World Cup. Japan take on four-time winners Germany in their opening fixture, before facing the 2010 World Cup winners, Spain, and Costa Rica.
Japan regularly feature at the World Cup, having been involved in the last seven tournaments, but will be relying on causing a major upset if they are to qualify from a group containing two of Europe’s heavy-hitters. Four years ago in Russia, the Samurai Blue managed to get out of their group, picking up four points against the likes of Colombia, Senegal and Poland before being knocked out against Belgium following a narrow 3-2 defeat.
