With the AFC U23 Championship set to start on Tuesday, join the-afc.com as we continue our look at the teams who will be vying for honours in Qatar, at a tournament that also doubles as the qualifiers for the men’s football tournament at the 2016 Olympic Games.

JAPAN

A top-three finish and a continuation of their run of taking part in every Olympic Games since 1996 will be the minimum expected from Japan at the 2016 AFC U23 Championship, although continental glory remains the target for a nation regarded as one of Asia’s strongest at all age groups.

The East Asians came up short at the inaugural tournament which took place in Oman at the turn of 2014 when they were knocked out by eventual champions Iraq in the quarter-final stage, having advanced to the last-eight as Group C runners-up following draws with Iran (3-3) and Kuwait (0-0) before an impressive 4-0 hammering of table-toppers Australia.

Japan’s road to Qatar 2016 was relatively smooth with a 2-0 victory over Vietnam following a 7-0 hammering of Macau in their qualifying opener putting Makoto Teguramori’s side in the Group I driving seat.

Defeat to Malaysia in their final match would have left Japan looking to progress as one of the five best group runners-up - which with two wins out of three would have been likely - but a first-half goal from Switzerland-based striker Yuya Kubo was enough for the Japanese to edge the Group I hosts and conclude their campaign with a 100% record.

BSC Young Boys forward Kubo is one of two Europe-based players in Japan’s U-23 side along with Red Bull Salzburg’s Takumi Minamino, the 2010 AFC U-16 Championship Top Scorer who netted Japan’s seventh in the one-side win over Macau.

Kubo and Minamino were amongst seven different goal scorers during the qualifiers with FC Tokyo midfelder Shoya Nakajima - who found the net three times at the inaugural tournament two years ago - scoring both goals in the 2-0 Group I win over Vietnam.

Japan’s Group B Fixtures

January 13: Japan v DPR Korea (Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha)

January 16: Japan v Thailand (Grand Hamad Stadium, Doha)

January 19: Japan v Saudi Arabia (Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha)

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