Former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu has received a timely boost in his World Cup ambitions after earning a recall to Japan’s national team for the first time in nearly two years.
The 27-year-old has endured a difficult spell plagued by injuries, which ultimately led to his departure from Arsenal in July last year, despite having a year left on his contract. Tomiyasu opted to prioritise his recovery before sealing a move to Ajax in December.
After returning to action in January—his first appearance since October 2024—Tomiyasu has now been named in Japan’s squad for upcoming international friendlies against Scotland and England.
Japan will face Scotland in Glasgow on March 28 before travelling to Wembley Stadium to take on England three days later, as head coach Hajime Moriyasu looks to fine-tune his squad ahead of the World Cup.
Moriyasu has also recalled Hiroki Ito of Bayern Munich, another defender returning from injury, stressing the importance of reintegrating experienced players into the team setup.
“If they are in good condition, it would be a positive for Japan heading into the World Cup,” Moriyasu said, expressing confidence that both players will regain peak fitness in time for the tournament.
He added that the friendlies would help the returning players reacquaint themselves with the team’s tactical approach after a prolonged absence.
Japan have been drawn in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Tunisia and a yet-to-be-determined European qualifier for the World Cup set to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Tomiyasu, who has 42 international caps, was part of Japan’s squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and played a role in their memorable victories over Germany and Spain before their exit on penalties to Croatia in the round of 16.
Despite his return, Moriyasu acknowledged that Tomiyasu is still working his way back to full match fitness, noting that he has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for Ajax.
The squad will, however, be without key attacking players such as Takumi Minamino of Monaco and Takefusa Kubo of Real Sociedad due to injuries.
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg forward Kento Shiogai has earned his maiden call-up, with Moriyasu insisting that opportunities remain open as Japan continues to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for World Cup glory.
“As we approach the World Cup, some may think experimentation should stop,” Moriyasu said. “But to win, we must continue to bring in players who can elevate the team.”
