Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also misses out due to injury, but ex-Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu makes the cut. Published On 15 May 202615 May 2026Injured Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has been left out of Japan’s World Cup squad in a major blow to their chances of progressing beyond the last 16 for the first time.The 28-year-old suffered a hamstring injury during Brighton’s 3-0 win over Wolves in the Premier League last weekend.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list“The medical team assessed that it would be difficult for him to get back to fitness during the tournament,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said in naming his squad in Tokyo on Friday.Monaco forward Takumi Minamino also missed out after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in late December.Japan have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F, and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Arlington, Texas on June 14.Mitoma, who has scored nine goals, is one of Japan’s best players and scored the winner in their 1-0 friendly victory over England at Wembley in March.He also played a key role in his country’s shock wins over Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Japan eventually lost on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.Ajax defender Takehiro Tomiyasu made the 26-man squad, despite not playing for the Samurai Blue for almost two years due to a series of injuries.The central defender, who currently plays for Ajax after his contract with Arsenal was annulled by mutual consent last year, last played for Japan in a World Cup qualifier against Syria on June 11, 2024. He had been included in the squad for the March international window before withdrawing.Crystal Palace’s Daichi Kamada, Liverpool’s Wataru Endo, Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo and 39-year-old FC Tokyo full-back Yuto Nagatomo were all included. Advertisement Wolfsburg’s Kento Shiogai, who won his first cap in Japan’s 1-0 win over Scotland in Glas …
