Coach MORIYASU Hajime of the Japan National Football Team held an official press conference ahead of the training match against Canada in Niigata City on 13 September, and expressed his enthusiasm, "We will fight for victory so that our supporters and supporters will be happy."

World No. 19 Japan will play warm-up matches against world No. 13 Canada in Niigata on 44th and world No. 17 Tunisia in Kobe on 29th.

On 12 September, an official press conference was held at the match venue in Niigata City ahead of the match against Canada, and coach Moriyasu of the Japan National Team expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "We must make it lead to the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup starting next month.

Regarding the withdrawal of Kaoru Mitoma, the core player of the attack, due to ill health, he said, "We have to think that we cannot always be selected due to injury or poor health, so it is important not only to depend on someone, but also to be able to share tactics with whom." We had high hopes for NAKAMURA Keito, who played the same position and scored two goals in the training match against Turkey last month.

After this, the players had an official training session at the match venue, and in the first 2 minutes, which were open to the media, KUBO Takefusa, who has been in good form for his Spanish team, and MINAMINO Takumi, who returned to the national team for the first time since last year's World Cup Qatar, made adjustments by running and passing the ball with relaxed expressions.

On the other hand, it was announced on the 2th that goalkeeper MAEKAWA Koya of J15 and Vissel Kobe will leave the team due to injury, and KOJIMA Kyosuke of J12 Albirex Niigata has been selected instead.

Wataru Endo: "To show the winning match"

Captain ENDO Wataru expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "We are well prepared mentally and in good condition, so we want to show a winning match as a team."

Regarding the significance of this training match ahead of the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which starts next month, he said, "It is a good opportunity for various players to showcase themselves and test our tactics as a team.

Keito Nakamura: "Good preparation"

NAKAMURA Keito, who scored two goals in the training match against Turkey last month, said, "We are well prepared and I think we will be in a good mental state."

In addition, MITOMA Kaoru, who is in the same position, withdrew from this training match due to ill health, and expressed his enthusiasm for the expected appointment, saying, "What we do as a team and myself will not change, and I want to showcase my goals and assists with visible results while focusing on winning."

Yukinari Sugawara "I want to respond with results and content"

Defender SUGAWARA Yukinari expressed his enthusiasm, saying, "I don't think I have been given a chair, so I want to respond to everyone who comes to support me with results and content."

Regarding their opponents, he said, "They are a strong team with talented talents in each position, so we will prepare ourselves well as a team."