MONTERREY, Mexico - Japan's World Cup squad focused on acclimatizing to high temperatures Wednesday as they practiced at their pre-tournament camp in Monterrey, Mexico.
With the mercury around 30 C, the Samurai Blue were forced to start their session late because of problems with the condition of the pitch at their training ground.
Werder Bremen fullback Yukinari Sugawara and some other squad members trained in long sleeves to help work up a sweat in readiness for their group-stage matches in North Texas and Monterrey.
Winger Junya Ito said the coaching staff had been advising players on preparing for venues that are expected to be hot and humid into the evening.
"We've been told not to immediately enter the ice bath after training," Ito said. "They say it's not good for heat acclimatization."
Veteran fullback Yuto Nagatomo, getting set for his fifth World Cup, stressed the importance of adapting to local conditions.
The 39-year-old said he had watched footage of Japan's 2-1 loss to the Ivory Coast at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, in which the Samurai Blue led early before fading in the second half, looking for insights for the upcoming tournament.
"I noticed that from around the 20-minute mark, not just my energy level, but the whole team's overall performance had dropped," Nagatomo said.
"Managing your physical condition and understanding how to improve it is important. I can pass on my experience to my younger teammates."
Japan begin their campaign in Group F against the Netherlands on June 14 at Dallas Stadium before playing Tunisia on June 20 in Monterrey. They will return to Dallas Stadium for their third game against Sweden on June 25.
