TOKYO - The Japan Football Association decided Thursday to promote Go Oiwa, currently the manager of the under-21 national team, to lead the senior men's squad, taking over from Hajime Moriyasu.
Meanwhile, Moriyasu will remain in the post on a rare short-term contract through early next year, despite his squad's exit from the latest World Cup in the first round of the knockout stage.
The JFA now expects Moriyasu to manage the Samurai Blue through the upcoming Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for January and February, before Oiwa concurrently guides the U-21 side, which is aiming to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, from March.
At this year's World Cup co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States, Japan finished second in Group F with one win and two draws.
But they suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brazil in the expanded round of 32, falling short of securing Japan's first-ever World Cup knockout-stage victory.
A former national team defender, Oiwa played in the J-League for Nagoya Grampus, Jubilo Iwata and Kashima Antlers.
The Shizuoka Prefecture native became manager of Antlers in 2017 and guided the club to the Asian Champions League title the following year.
Oiwa steered Japan's Olympic team to the quarterfinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and secured back-to-back U-23 Asian Cup titles in 2024 and 2026.
