February 3 – Another goal in added time in this tournament of late match winners, saw Iran overcome Japan in what was very much a game of two halves and grew into a pulsating quarter final.
January 31 – Four-time Asian Cup champions Japan secured their place in the quarter finals of the competition with a comfortable 3-1 victory over group-topping Bahrain.
January 30 – Entering his press conference with an air of calmness and composure despite being ten minutes late, Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu explained his expectations heading into the round of 16 tie with Bahrain at the Al Thumama Stadium on Wednesday evening.
January 24 – Four-time champions Japan got their Asian Cup campaign back on track with a routine 3-1 victory against Indonesia to clinch second spot in Group D behind Iraq. In the round of 16 they could potentially face South Korea in what would be a blockbuster clash.
January 24 – Japanese manager Hajime Moriyasu has come out in defense of his goalkeeper Zion Suzuki who claimed he suffered racial abuse on social media following his team’s 2-1 shock defeat against Iraq.
January 22 – The US Soccer Federation has announced that Japan, Canada and Brazil will join them for the ninth edition of this Spring’s SheBelieves Cup.
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
January 19 – In the first major upset of the Asian Cup, Iraq triumphed 2-1 against tournament favourites Japan to advance to the last 16 and inflict a first group-stage defeat on the Samurai Blue since 1998.
January 14 – Tournament favourites Japan overcame a scare and a half of topsy-turvy football to defeat Vietnam 4-2 with a brace from Takumi Minamino.
January 4 – One of Japan’s most important players at the forthcoming Asian Cup, Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, wants the tournament shifted to the end of the domestic season in Europe.
January 3 – Japan have called up Brighton and Hove Albion standout forward Kaoru Mitoma for their Asian Cup squad despite Mitoma currently being sidelined by injury.
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup saw the tournament head back to the desert as Qatar hosted the tournament for the second time.
The 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China PR was the biggest tournament yet, with an expanded finals tournament from 12 to 16 nations as the membership of the confederation grew to 45 members.
The new millennium saw over 40 countries enter the Asian Cup hoping to dethrone holders Saudi Arabia, with the tournament being held in Lebanon for the first time.
The 1992 AFC Asian Cup was a competition that saw some of the established names fall short and also signalled the emergence of a new force in Asian football.
September 7 – Japan and Jordan stamped early claims for places at the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024 finals with big opening group wins. Japan beat Pakistan 6-0 while Jordan put 9 past Brunei Darussalem.