Since qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 1998, Japan has been a regular member of the World Cup.
She has appeared in each of the last six tournaments, in the last three she has passed the home stage, and in the last one in Russia she was the only Asian team to play in the knockout stage, stretching Belgium until extra time in the round of 16.
Qatar 2022 is supposed to be the seventh consecutive World Cup to which Japan leaps easily, but it is already clear that it will not be easy - if at all.
A sensational home loss to Oman, and another one against Saudi Arabia last week, left the Japanese with three points after three rounds - the worst opening for the samurai in the current qualifying format.
The pressure is high, the critics have no pity for anyone and the fear of relegation paralyzes the team, which will try to get back on track today in a critical encounter with the home team, Australia.
A win will give some quiet, a loss will break the tools.
This is not the first time Japan has opened the third and final qualifying round with a surprising home loss.
The trip to Russia 2018 began with a 2: 1 loss to the UAE at the stadium in Saitama, and even then there were criticisms, except that the recovery was sharp and quick.
A streak of eight games without a loss paved the way for the World Cup, where, as mentioned, the team stopped only in the 94th minute of the quarterfinals.
This time, the story is different.
After the surprise loss to Oman, the Japanese seemed to be coming back to themselves with a victory over China, but five days ago they surrendered 1-0 to Saudi Arabia while a game fell.
The great pressure could be seen at the end, when captain Maya Yoshida abandoned the interview position to confront Saudi fans who teased him.
The troubles are so great that the Japanese no longer have the patience to maintain restraint.
"They shouted racist slogans at me," the 33-year-old brakeman explained, "and I had a hard time accepting it."
The Saudis managed to apologize for the incident, but it is clear that the Japanese frustration is much greater than this one-off case.
Moriasu.
To many it is the main problem, Photo: Reuters
"I lost the urge to watch games"
In the eyes of the public and commentators, the main culprit in the situation is Ajima Moriaso.
The 53-year-old coach was the assistant at the 2018 World Cup, and was promoted to the lead role after Akira Nishino left.
Moriasso has two main goals: to win the Asian Cup in 2019 and lead the team to Qatar.
In the first mission he failed when his team lost in the 3: 1 final to Qatar (first loss ever in a continental final), and as of right now, the second mission is developing in a negative direction.
"It seems like he is looking for excuses to justify losses," commentator Sergio Achigo wrote after Moriasso noted before the loss to the Saudis that the weather could be difficult, and that his players would suffer from jet lag.
For the rest of the commentators and fans, the problem is different: Japan is just playing bad.
Phrases like "I lost the urge to watch the team's games" and "Total boredom" flood the social networks, as well as the hashtag calling for the immediate dismissal of Moriasso.
Oman celebrates for the Japanese.
The sequence from 1998 will end ?, Photo: Reuters
"As long as there is a chance - we will fight"
The main professional claim made to the Japanese coach is the lack of attacking play.
After three rounds, Japan has only one right goal, the least of the continent's national teams, and Moriasso does not seem to have a solution.
The disadvantage of star Taka Kobo is considerable, and the credit given to players like Tacomi Minmino from Liverpool and Tacoma Asano from Bochum is too great, given the fact that they hardly play in their teams' uniforms.
Former player Roy Ramos wrote a scathing critique column, in which he argued: "The coach should choose attacking players who score goals, and not those who know how to press the opponent's defenders. Our anemic attacking game is proof that Moriasso is not suitable."
In the shadow of the reviews, the Japanese coach should provide answers today against Australia.
"The situation is difficult," he admitted, "but as long as there is a chance - we will come to fight."
With the format automatically bringing up only the first two teams from each house, and today Australia arrives with a streak of 11 consecutive victories - Moriasso's situation is so difficult that even a victory will not necessarily be enough for him to remain in office.
Japan have already begun to mention the trip to France in 1998, which started very badly and rose only after a change of coaches, and it seems that in the current state of affairs - the Japanese believe this is the only scenario that will solve the problem and lead the team to the Qatar World Cup.