Japan's men's soccer team aiming to participate in the Paris Olympics lost 1-3 to Mali. Japan's starting players included Rihito Yamamoto, who plays for Sint-Truiden in the Belgian First Division.
Japan under-23 national team will play a warm-up match against Ukraine in Kitakyushu on the 25th, before heading to the final Asian qualifiers to begin in Qatar next month. If they finish in the top three at this tournament, they will qualify for the Olympics, and if they finish fourth they will go to a playoff against Guinea.