Japan in crisis as key midfielder sidelined ahead of World Cup qualifiers

Japan's national soccer team is in a state of emergency just a week before the North, Central, and South American World Cup qualifiers. The team, which had aimed for the round of 16 and its best-ever World Cup performance, is now grappling with the unavailability of key players.

Midfielder Kaoru Mitoma is among those sidelined, and reports indicate that another ace midfielder has also become unavailable. Japanese media expressed concern, noting that the player has yet to join team training even a week before the tournament's start.

This crisis casts a shadow over Japan's ambitions for the upcoming World Cup. The team's forward line includes Ayase Ueda, the top scorer in the Eredivisie this season. The midfield boasts talent like Takefusa Kubo from Real Sociedad, Ritsu Doan from Freiburg, Daichi Kamada from Crystal Palace, and Wataru Endo from Liverpool. However, the current player availability issues threaten to undermine the team's potential.