Japan will face Iran in the Asian Cup 8, but before the match, the Japan Football Association announced that Junya Ito, who was involved in a sexual assault controversy, has left the team. "Blue Samurai" head coach Mori Bao-ichi, who attended the pre-match record, regretted Junya Ito's withdrawal, and thought that the main attacking player, who went out to the French Ligue 1 Reims, was unable to concentrate on the game.
Prior to Japan's Asian Cup round of 16 match against Bahrain, Japanese media outlet Weekly Shincho uncovered that Junya Ito was suspected of sexually assaulting two women after playing for the team in June last year, and that the two women had subsequently filed a criminal complaint against Ito. The Japan FA said on Thursday (1) that in consideration of Ito's physical and mental state, announced his withdrawal from the Japanese team's Asian Cup squad.
However, there was a change of heart for a while. About six hours after the news was announced, Japan's team director Masahiro Yamamoto said that the decision to let Ito leave the team would be put on hold, and revealed that head coach Morihiro Ichi as well as the players of the Blue Samurai would like to continue to fight with Junya Ito: "There is a strong will from a group of players who want to fight together with Ito to the very end. As a result, on Friday (2), JFA president Yukizo Tashima held a press conference and said that the decision to let the Ligue 1 side out of the national team has been upheld.
