Japan national football team

Be the first to share your experience and establish the community score!

The Japan national football team (Japanese: サッカー日本代表, Hepburn: Sakkā Nippon Daihyō), also known by the nickname Samurai Blue (Japanese: サムライ・ブルー, Hepburn: Samurai Burū), represents Japan in men's international football. It is controlled by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the governing body for football in Japan. Prior to the late 1980s, Japan's national football team was largely amateur, with the sport less popular domestically than baseball or sumo. Since the early 1990s, following the full professionalization of the sport, Japan has emerged as one of Asia's leading teams.