Moriyasu's Japan Reign Ends Early — Brazil Friendly to Be His Last

Japan confirm Moriyasu exit  

After leading Japan to famous wins over Germany and Spain and two World Cups, Hajime Moriyasu will bow out next week forced into an early exit by the postponement of the Asian Cup.

Moriyasu bows out early as Asian Cup delay forces Japan coaching change...

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu will leave his post next week, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Friday, ending his reign earlier than planned after the 2027 Asian Cup was postponed.

The country's longest-serving coach had been due to take charge of the Samurai Blue at the tournament in Saudi Arabia in January, before passing the baton to current Under-23 head coach Go Oiwa.

The Asian Football Confederation announced last week, however, that the tournament has been pushed back to December 2027 because of “exceptional circumstances” in the region, in the wake of Houthi attacks on the host country.

The delay left Moriyasu in limbo, with Japan Football Association (JFA) officials declining last week to say when the coaching handover would now take place.

The JFA confirmed on Friday that Japan's friendlies in Singapore  against Brazil on Saturday and Paraguay on Tuesday will be Moriyasu's last games at the helm.

The 58-year-old was appointed in the aftermath of the 2018 World Cup.

At Qatar 2022, he oversaw stunning group-stage upsets of Germany and Spain before Japan bowed out to Croatia on penalties in the last 16.

This summer in North America, he took them as far as the last 32, where a stoppage-time goal condemned them to a 2-1 defeat against Brazil.

𝐓𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 ⏳ #サッカー日本代表 https://t.co/Vayj9WA2mg

— サッカー日本代表 🇯🇵 (@jfa_samuraiblue) November 13, 2026

He had been scheduled to remain in charge for an Asian Cup warm-up friendly against an as-yet unnamed opponent in Osaka on December 30.

That fixture has now been scrapped, the JFA confirmed.

“We had regarded this game as an important opportunity to strengthen the Japan team, and we had been making thorough preparations,” JFA president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said in a statement.

“But following the postponement of the Asian Cup and considering the national team's schedule, we have decided to cancel the game.”