Japanese PM applauds World Cup squad

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan hailed Japan’s World Cup squad on Wednesday after a nail-biting defeat to Paraguay ended the Blue Samurai’s unexpectedly strong performance in South Africa.

“They showed the world the real strength of Japanese football by working as a team,” Kan said in a statement. “I applaud them for their brave battles.”

In a gruelling match, Asia’s last representatives in South Africa fought bravely but failed to dominate Paraguay, eventually losing a penalty shoot-out 5-3 after the match ended 0-0 after extra-time.

It was the first time the Japanese had advanced to the knockout phase since the 2002 World Cup, which Japan co-hosted with South Korea.

The team’s strong showing came as a surprise to many at home, where expectations were low for the national squad, which in recent years has performed poorly on the international stage.