Japan’s first FIFA World Cup appearance was in 1998. Details
- Debut event: 1998 FIFA World Cup in France. Japan were in Group H with Argentina, Croatia, and Jamaica, and all three group matches ended in defeat for Japan. This marked their first appearance on football’s biggest stage.
- Notable milestones since: Japan has since reached the knockout stage on four occasions (2002 as co-hosts, 2010, 2018, and 2022), with 2018 marking a historic win over Colombia in the group stage—the first time an Asian nation defeated a South American side in World Cup play.
- Historical context: Japan’s World Cup journey began with earlier participation in regional and Olympic competition, but the nation did not enter the World Cup finals until 1998. However, long-running development of Japanese football dates back to the early 20th century, with the national association formed in 1921 and joining FIFA in 1929.
If you’d like, I can add a concise timeline of Japan’s World Cup appearances and results by year, or pull the latest specifics on their 2022 Qatar run.
