Overview
- The draw placed Japan in Group F with the Netherlands and Tunisia, and both managers signaled respect for Japan as a tough matchup.
- Japan has publicly targeted winning the 2026 World Cup, a step up from its best-ever Round of 16 finishes.
- In Nagoya, Ami Nakai took second and Kaori Sakamoto placed third in the women’s Grand Prix Final.
- Maebashi’s January mayoral race progressed with an official briefing attended by seven prospective camps following former mayor Akira Ogawa’s resignation.
- Brazilian senator Flavio Bolsonaro announced his intention to run in the October 2026 presidential election under the Liberal Party banner.