YOKOHAMA -- It was a telling scene. Japan manager Philippe Troussier with a broad grin on his face holding aloft his first trophy as his happy players showered him with water in the sunshine following a 2-0 win over Bolivia on Sunday.

OK, so it was only the Kirin Cup, but coming on the heels of a 1-1 draw with Slovakia last week and two excellent results -- against France and Jamaica -- in the King Hassan II Cup in Morocco the week before, it was further confirmation that the Japan national team was making progress under its French manager.

It also means the Japan Football Association will find it impossible to terminate Troussier's services, at least before the Olympics and Asian Cup later on this year.

Troussier was typically enigmatic after the game, making a short statement but refusing to answer any questions in the post-match news conference. Some journalists interpreted his comments as a farewell speech, fueling speculation that he is about to quit the post and hand a stinging riposte to the JFA.

"The win came through the talent and efforts of our players," he commented. "It's a win for the players, the staff and the fans."

In a dig at his critics in the JFA, he added: "On the other hand, there is something that crossed my mind, which is there are some people who didn't believe in this wonderful team we have. I pity them.

"Now we have proved that Japanese soccer is a force to be reckoned with and I think that I have done a reasonable job over the last two years. The team should make more rapid progress from now on, but we have to have a sense of purpose and the proper policies have to be in place to achieve this.

"Also, the national team manager should be given the chance to do his job his way."

Japan actually ended up sharing the Kirin Cup with Slovakia, but after going up 2-0 up in the first half through two Atsushi Yanagisawa goals, the 65,073 fans at Yokohama International Stadium believed their team could finish things off and clinch the trophy outright.

Indeed, Japan should have, but wayward finishing and a little bad luck prevented the home team from getting the result its territorial domination deserved.

"Japan deserved to win," Bolivia manager Carlos Ara gones conceded. "They made the most of their chances."

Comparing Sunday's Japan to the team that drew 1-1 in last year's Copa America, he added: "They played a faster, more precise game today."

Japan went 1-0 up after just seven minutes. Bolivia's irritating little right back Reny Ribera fouled Atsuhiro Miura on the left and the Japan midfielder, who had another very impressive game, swung over a free-kick that Yanagisawa had no problem side-footing home from 10 meters out.

Bolivia soon showed that it was not to be underestimated with a sweeping break out of defense that Japan had to clear in desperate fashion in the 6-yard box after Ricardo Torrico bore down on goal, but Daisuke Oku, trying to redeem himself after some dreadful performances for the national team, replied with a scorching 20-meter shot that the 'keeper just tipped over.

Bolivia came very close with a sweet, curling free-kick from Richard Rojas and Tomas Guttierez wasted a chance by firing over from the edge of the box, but Japan had another golden chance with a brilliant 20-meter shot from Shigeyoshi Mochizuki.

Yokohama favorite Shunsuke Nakamura was taken off after just 28 minutes but Japan kept the pace up and was nearly rewarded with another goal five minutes later when Yanagisawa headed the ball wide from a Miura cross.

A minute after that, Yanagisawa did get things right. Some fine one-touch football from Cerezo Osaka teammates Hiroaki Morishima and Akinori Nishizawa left the Antlers man in the clear and he finished off in resounding style from 15 meters.

Miura again came close to scoring the goal he deserved with a rasping 30-meter vol ley, but Bolivia swept back up the pitch a few minutes later, forcing goalkeeper Seigo Nar azaki into a brilliant save with his feet as the first half drew to a close.

Japan did get the ball into the net again 12 minutes into the second half when Mochizuki fired a low shot through the Bolivia defense after a Miura free-kick, but it was disallowed for offside.

Japan controlled the pace of the game and forced the Bolivians into making some cynical challenges, but the goal that would have secured the Kirin Cup outright didn't come, Morishima curling the easiest chance of the second half over the bar five minutes before the end.

"People said we should score a lot of goals against such an opponent," Miura said. "But it's not that easy. I tried to pressure my opponent, but I wasn't completely satisfied with my performance." But the victory for Japan was not just about a 2-0 win over Bolivia. Japan is starting to show that it can compete with bigger, stronger, higher-ranked sides and the team is not going to lose Troussier very quickly if it keeps improving.

Miura, midfielder Junichi Inamoto and right-side defender Ryuzo Morioka have been outstanding in recent games and you have to believe that the team can only get better.

If only the same could be said of the JFA.