Japan boss Moriyasu to leave job early after Asian Cup shift

TOKYO: Japan coach Hajjime Moriyasu will step down next week, the country’s football association said Friday, cutting short his tenure in the wake of the 2027 Asian Cup’s postponement.

Moriyasu, Japan’s longest-serving coach, was originally set to lead the team at the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January before handing the reins to current Under-23 boss Go Oiwa.

But the Asian Football Confederation announced last week that the tournament would be pushed back to December 2027 due to “exceptional circumstances” in the region, following Houthi attacks on the host country.

That left Moriyasu in limbo, with Japan Football Association (JFA) chiefs last week declining to clarify when the coaching handover would take place.