# Japan national football team player status > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japan-national-football-team-player-status > Updated: 2026-10-15T20:10:54.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 2. In late September 2026, members of the Japan national football team addressed their preparations for the AFC Asian Cup. Defender Ko Itakura noted the difficulty of balancing international duty with club commitments at Borussia Mönchengladbach, while midfielder Daichi Kamada emphasized the importance of winning the tournament to build team confidence. By mid-October, the team faced significant injury concerns regarding key players. Ayase Ueda, playing for LOSC Lille, sustained a left foot injury during a UEFA Champions League match against Arsenal. He has been diagnosed with a plantar fascia rupture. Lille manager Davide Ancelotti stated that the nature of the injury makes it difficult to predict a recovery timeline, noting that his return depends on pain levels and treatment progress. Media reports suggest he may miss Japan’s November matches against Brazil and Paraguay. Ko Itakura is managing a tear in the left gluteus medius muscle. While the injury has been described as unusual and difficult to predict, Borussia Mönchengladbach manager Alexander Blessin indicated that Itakura is expected to recover within the next two weeks, potentially making him available for the match against Brazil on November 14. Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu continues to face ongoing fitness issues. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-15: Ayase Ueda and Ko Itakura face injury setbacks Japanese players Ayase Ueda and Ko Itakura face injury concerns. Ueda may miss November international duties due to a plantar fascia rupture, while Itakura is expected to return within two weeks. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ayase-ueda-and-ko-itakura-face-injury-concerns-ahead-of-japan-matches ### 2026-09-22: Japan national team players address Asian Cup goals and club conflicts Japan national team players Ko Itakura and Daichi Kamada discussed the upcoming Asian Cup, addressing club commitment conflicts and the team's goal to secure the continental title. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japan-national-team-players-address-asian-cup-goals-and-club-conflicts --- Cite as: Japan national football team player status. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japan-national-football-team-player-status