Japan leaves injured Kaoru Mitoma out of World Cup squad

Japan lost the winger who gives its attack its sharpest edge, with Hajime Moriyasu leaving Kaoru Mitoma out of the 26-man World Cup squad after the Brighton forward injured his hamstring in a 3-0 win over Wolves last weekend. Moriyasu said the medical staff judged Mitoma would have difficulty recovering in time for the tournament, a blow that removes one of Japan’s most direct threats in transition and one of its cleanest sources of pace on the flank.

The omission changes how Japan can threaten defenders. Without Mitoma, the burden of chance creation and width shifts toward Takefusa Kubo, Daichi Kamada and the team’s overlapping fullbacks, while Wataru Endo remains the midfield anchor and Yuto Nagatomo brings a veteran outlet on the left. Nagatomo’s inclusion carries its own history: the FC Tokyo defender will make his fifth consecutive World Cup appearance, the first Japanese player to do so. Japan’s squad still looks seasoned, but it may have to lean more heavily on structure and control than on the sudden acceleration Mitoma offered.

The Japan Football Association tied the announcement to a KIRIN Challenge Cup match against Iceland on May 31 in Tokyo, then turned the page to FIFA World Cup 2026 fixtures that begin with Netherlands v Japan on June 14 in Dallas, followed by Tunisia v Japan on June 20 in Monterrey and Japan v Sweden on June 25 in Dallas. The roster shows 23 of the 26 players are based in Europe, a sign of how internationalized the national team has become and how much of Moriyasu’s core now comes from major leagues abroad.

That depth is real, but so is the loss of ceiling. Japan reached the knockout stage in Qatar in 2022, stunned Germany and Spain, then fell to Croatia on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 16. Since its first World Cup in 1998, Japan has qualified for eight straight tournaments, and the current run of results, including wins over Brazil, England and Scotland, suggested momentum. But Mitoma’s absence, along with Takumi Minamino missing out after the ACL injury he suffered in December, makes this squad feel more cautious at the very moment it needed another surge of unpredictability.

Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler had already said he was not sure Mitoma would be fit for the World Cup, and Mitoma had been limited to 27 appearances in all competitions this season because of injuries. Japan still has experience, European pedigree and a hard-earned place among the world’s more difficult opponents, but without Mitoma’s width and burst, Moriyasu’s team will have to find a different way to frighten elite defenses.