The Japan Futsal National Team squad began a training camp on 19 April at Nagoya's Ocean Arena in preparation for an International Friendly Tournament, which will be held for three days from 22 April at WING ARENA KARIYA in Aichi Prefecture. Japan will take on Vietnam on the 22nd and then Uzbekistan on the 24th.

The Japanese team worked on their first activity after they were eliminated in February's AFC Futsal Championship. “We won't compete in this year's FIFA Futsal World Cup, but today is the restart for competing in the 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup,” KOGURE Kenichiro (SHRIKER OSAKA), who leads the team in this international tourney, told his players. “In order to develop what all the forerunners have established; I want you all to compete in these games with pride as the Japan National Team players.”

The team worked mainly on passing and shooting drills, and then played a 12-minute intrasquad game. While they checked on the conditions of their players who just came off a day off, the team focused on carrying out their plays simply, while they also paid attention to having speed on their plays and quick transitions between their offensive and defensive plays. In the end, they checked their power plays, working on installing what their coach wanted to have on the team. 

Players' Comments

FP #9  KATO Minami (SHRIKER OSAKA)
I've been called up for the Japan National Team for the first time, and I have a fresh mind-set. I've practiced with the team and gradually been able to communicate with other teammates. Not getting boggled, I would like to give all my strengths.

FP #4  ANDO Ryohei (NAGOYA OCEANS)
This is the first time for me to be called up for the national team, but everyone else has created good mood so guys like me are able to get in it quicker, so hopefully, I will prepare myself and perform my own game. It will be a new start for me in this training camp and in order to make a jump start, I would like to contribute to the team so we will post wins against Vietnam and Uzbekistan and move forward. Hopefully, if people have some time, we would like them to come and see us play at the stadium. We would certainly like to pray quicker recovery for those have suffered from the earthquakes in Kumamoto, and we will fight at our full strengths with pride as the Japan National Team so we will convey some good news through futsal.

FP #12  MAEDONCHI Matias Hernan (NAGOYA OCEANS)
As the new coach has taken over, we've taken a new start with the new players and staff. We practiced in a good mood, checking our moves, playing an intrasquad game and checking our power plays, preparing our conditions. To give our Japanese fans the taste of the strengths of Japanese futsal once again, we would like to go for the victories against Vietnam on the 22nd and Uzbekistan on the 24th, while we want to take every single importantly and compete being united with our players and staff. 

Schedule

*The schedule is subject to change due to the team condition, etc.