A history of Japan at the World Cup

Discover the history of Japan at the World Cup. Learn about their record at the tournament, biggest wins, most capped players, top scorers and much more!

Compared to other countries, Japan are a nation that have a much more recent history at the World Cup. So far, their time at the tournament hasn’t involved too many deep runs into the competition, but it doesn’t mean they haven’t been able to have some great campaigns and moments.

So, what exactly does the history of Japan at the World Cup show us? What could be in store for them in 2026?

This blog will look back on Japan’s record at the competition, best memories, biggest wins, losses, and their top scorers and appearance makers.

What is Japan’s World Cup record?

Japan qualifying for the 2026 World Cup means that they will now have appeared at the tournament a total of eight times. With their first appearance at the competition being in 1998, this means that they’ve qualified for every tournament since!

After playing 25 games at the World Cup, Japan have won seven, drawn six, and lost 12, giving them a win percentage of 28%.

Their best campaigns to date have been in 2002, 2010, 2018, and 2022, when they reached the round of 16, which they are yet to get further than. Could 2026 be the first time they surpass this?

What is Japan’s record against their group stage opponents?

The 2026 World Cup has placed Japan up against the Netherlands, Tunisia, and Sweden. So, to see how these games could pan out, let’s see how their historical matchups have ended!

Japan vs the Netherlands

Japan have met the Netherlands three times in their history, twice in international friendlies and once at the World Cup. The Dutch have come out on top in two of these matches, but the most recent ended up in a draw. They last faced each other in 2013 for a friendly game, with the score being 2-2 at the final whistle. Despite the Netherlands going two goals up, Japan fought back well, scoring just before half-time, and grabbing the equaliser 15 minutes into the second half.

Japan vs Tunisia

Tunisia and Japan have played each other on six occasions between 1996 and 2023, with one of these meetings being in the World Cup. Across these games, Japan have won five and lost one, with their most recent matchup being in 2023. This game came in the Kirin Challenge Cup, where Japan comfortably won the match 2-0, with goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Junya Ito.

Japan vs Sweden

Japan and Sweden have played each other six times in total but haven’t met since 2002. With two draws and four losses, Japan’s record against them is pretty poor. Their 2002 meeting ended in one of the draws, with the game finishing 1-1. Despite going behind to a Marcus Allback goal 20 minutes into the game, an own goal by Johan Mjallby levelled the game after 62 minutes, earning Japan the draw.

Iconic Japan World Cup memories

In their seven appearances at the World Cup ahead of the 2026 edition, Japan have been able to make some fantastic memories. Here are their most memorable moments at the tournament so far:

• Comeback against Germany (2022): After going 1-0 down to a Gundogan penalty in the first half, many thought Japan were down and out. They remained resilient throughout the game, though, as Ritsu Doan scored the equaliser in the 75th minute. Takuma Asano then got the winner less than ten minutes later, stunning the 2014 World Cup winners and helping them to win their first game of Group E!

• Comeback against Spain (2022): Another huge comeback at the 2022 World Cup saw Japan defeat Spain in the group stage. Alvaro Morata’s header 11 minutes into the match put Spain in front, but Ritsu Doan’s 48th minute strike beat goalkeeper Unai Simon despite him getting a hand to it. With a new sense of motivation having equalised, Japan pushed on to go in front only three minutes later. After Kaoru Mitoma kept the ball in play, he crossed it in for Ao Tanaka to tap home from close range and get what turned out to be the winner!

• The ‘Devastation of Rostov’ (2018): Playing against the third-best ranked team in the world, Japan were really up against it. The Asian outfit managed to get themselves into a two-goal lead after Genki Haraguchi and Takashi Inui scored, and they were looking like they might achieve something special. Belgium, however, managed to score twice in the space of five minutes during the second half thanks to Jan Vertonghen and Marouane Fellaini. Japan then unfortunately fell to a late goal from Nacer Chadli in the 94th minute of the game, meaning the match ended in a sobering defeat.

Japan’s biggest World Cup wins

Though their biggest wins have arguably come against Germany and Spain, Japan have managed to achieve some other massive results too, even if they’re not by the biggest margins. Below are the biggest victories they’ve had at the World Cup:

• 3-1 vs Denmark (2010): The final group game of the 2010 World Cup put Japan up against Denmark. With two stunning free-kicks, Japan went 2-0 up inside 30 minutes! Keisuke Honda was the first to score, whipping his free-kick into the far corner 17 minutes into the game. Then Yasuhito Endo curled his strike around the wall and into the back of the net in the 30th minute. Jon Dahl Tomasson brought Denmark back into the game after scoring from a rebounded penalty in the 81st minute, but Shinji Okazaki sealed the historic win for Japan only six minutes later after rolling the ball into an open net.

• 2-0 vs Tunisia (2002): The first half in the group phase between Japan and Tunisia was extremely tense. Neither side could get the better of one another as the score remained 0-0 after 45 minutes. Hiroaki Morishima and Hidetoshi Nakata stepped up for Japan in the second half, however, as Morishima scored a brilliant goal after latching onto a loose ball in the Tunisian penalty area. Then, a headed goal from Nakata extended their lead and secured the victory for Japan to send them to the round of 16 for the first time in their history.

Japan’s biggest World Cup defeats

As much as they’ve managed some fantastic results at the World Cup, they’ve also faced some harsh defeats too. Here are the biggest losses that they’ve had at the tournament so far:

• 4-1 vs Brazil (2006): Though they took the lead in the 33rd minute through Keiji Tamada, Japan couldn’t keep Brazil out of the game for long. Ronaldo scored just before half-time, then goals from Juninho and Gilberto Melo extended the lead later in the second half. Ronaldo then grabbed his brace to seal Japan’s defeat and hand them their heaviest defeat at the World Cup.

• 4-1 vs Colombia (2014): Juan Cuadrado put Colombia ahead with a penalty 17 minutes into the game, but Japan equalised in the 46th minute and the game was level at half-time. Jackson Martinez then scored twice to put Colombia back in front, before James Rodriguez put the final nail in the coffin for Japan’s defeat.

Who has made the most World Cup appearances for Japan?

Across their seven campaigns to date, Japan have managed to have some mainstays in the team over multiple tournaments. Below is a table listing the players that have featured for Japan the most at the World Cup so far: 

Who has scored the most World Cup goals for Japan?

Though none have been incredibly prolific, here are Japan’s top scorers at the World Cup ahead of the 2026 tournament:

Can Japan win their first World Cup this year?

Though it’s likely Japan won’t win the 2026 World Cup, they aren’t a nation to underestimate. They’ve proven to be tough opponents in the past for top nations like Spain and Germany so, certainly on one-off occasions, you can’t write them off! Considering Japan for markets such as match winner and group winner could prove to offer more value.

How to bet on Japan at the 2026 World Cup

You can find the latest FIFA World Cup betting odds at Betway, including the biggest Japan markets across the tournament. Simply sign in to your account (or register a new one) and enter your stake, then our betslip feature will show you your potential winnings. Once you’re happy, click ‘Place bet’, and watch out for the result. Head over to the Betway site or use our mobile app through to start your World Cup betting now!