Japan made final preparations Monday on the eve of their first match at the U-23 Asian Cup in Qatar, which serves as the qualifying event for this summer's Paris Olympic men's football tournament.
Manager Go Oiwa's men will open their campaign against Group B opponents China at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday before facing the United Arab Emirates on Friday.
They will finish the group stage against fellow former champions South Korea next Monday.
"We want to work together as a team to prepare properly for the first match," Oiwa said at a press conference before Monday's practice. "We want a complete performance, mentally and tactically."
The top two teams in each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals, with the top three finishers at the tournament earning tickets to Paris.
The fourth-place side will still have a chance to qualify for the Olympics via a playoff against Guinea on May 9 in France.
