Unveiling the U23 Final Opponent: J-League’s Best Rookie + Mixed Heritage Twin Towers, Japan’s Youngest Team Still Dominates

Written by Han Bing Similar to Uzbekistan, which faces the U23 Chinese team in the quarterfinals, Japan’s U23 squad is a mixed U20 team aiming at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. Despite the absence of most eligible U20 European-based players, they remain one of the strongest teams in this competition.

Among Japan’s eligible players, Keita Kosugi (Frankfurt), Kento Shiomibe (Wolfsburg), Kazuya Kita (Real Sociedad B), Reisa Takaoka (Valenciennes), Keisuke Goto (Sint-Truiden), and the newly transferred Almere City fullback Takahashi Jinko (Argentine-Japanese mixed heritage) were all left out. Winger Shunsuke Saito, busy with his transfer to Belgian side Westerlo, was also not included.

Japan’s U23 squad includes 13 players born in 2005, 7 in 2006, and 3 in 2007, with an average age of just 19.5 years. This U20 mixed team, mainly composed of players from the J1 League and university leagues, is very strong. Goalkeeper Ryu Araki, defenders Rion Ichihara, Rei Memuki, Soichiro Mori, midfielders Tomo Ozeki, Yukinari Ogura, Nelson Ishiwata, Ryunosuke Sato, and forward Yume Yokoyama were all part of last year’s U20 World Cup squad that reached the round of 16.

In their opening match against Syria’s U23 team, all nine members of the U20 World Cup squad started. Except for midfielder Nelson Ishiwata (Nigerian-Japanese mixed heritage) and winger Yume Yokoyama, the other seven were regular starters.

Though young, this Japanese team has ample match experience. Key players such as midfielder Ryunosuke Sato (J1 League), left-back Rei Memuki, captain and center-back Rion Ichihara, defensive midfielder Nelson Ishiwata, right winger Yume Yokoyama (J2 League), and backup center-back Osamu Nagano (J3 League) are all league regulars. Right-back Soichiro Mori is a rotational starter (J1 League), while midfielders Tomo Ozeki, Yuta Shimamoto (J1 League), and Tokumasa Kawai (J2 League) are consistent substitutes. Japan’s sole European-based player is the 1.90m tall striker Toyo Michiwaki, who ended his loan with Belgian second division club Beveren on January 19 and joined J1 League’s Fukuoka Hawks.

The most watched player on Japan’s team is number 10 midfielder Ryunosuke Sato. In the opener against Syria, he scored twice and assisted twice. Last season, on loan from FC Tokyo to Okayama Green Falcons, he impressed with 6 goals and 2 assists in 28 league matches, earning J1 League’s Best Rookie award. At 19, he is considered Japan’s new football hope. In last year’s U20 World Cup, he started three matches and helped Japan push France to extra time in the round of 16. Notably, in last July’s East Asian Cup against China, Sato started and played 68 minutes before being substituted by teammate Tomo Ozeki from this U23 team.

Japan’s U23 starting goalkeeper, Ryu Araki, is the youngest on the team but stands tall at 1.94m. Although his name might suggest mixed heritage, Japanese media have not reported on his parents’ backgrounds. The U23 squad currently has three mixed-heritage players: center-back Hayato Okabe (Ghana-Japanese mixed), who attends Toyo University and whose father was a Ghanaian international; he forms the main central defense pairing with the team’s highest-valued player, Rion Ichihara (€1.5 million), ensuring solid aerial defense. Rotational defensive midfielder Nelson Ishiwata (Nigerian-Japanese mixed) scored 5 goals and 2 assists in 41 matches last season in the J2 League but can only play defensive midfield here, ranked behind Tomo Ozeki and Yukinari Ogura.

Besides the mixed-heritage defensive tower Okabe Hayato, Japan’s attack features a “double insurance” of tall strikers. The 1.90m tall Brian Sei’u (Nigerian-Japanese mixed) is a starter, though he uses his father’s surname Wadick on his jersey. A basketball player at the prestigious Toin Yokohama University, he boasts excellent physical attributes. Similarly, 1.90m tall Toyo Michiwaki also started alongside Wadick, posing a significant threat to the U23 Chinese defense.

At yesterday’s pre-match press conference, Japan U23 coach Takeshi Oiwa said that despite fielding a young squad with a challenger’s mindset, their goal remains the championship. “We very much hope to win this final match and want our young players to perform fully, bringing a perfect end to this tournament.” Oiwa expressed respect for the U23 Chinese team, specifically noting their defensive intensity as their greatest strength, and said they would prepare seriously and carefully for the match.