Coach Zico has admitted Japan must demonstrate more of a killer instinct in front of goal ahead of the World Cup finals and is hoping the return of injury-weary striker Tatsuhiko Kubo will provide a solution to his side's problems in attack.
In Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and Bolton Wanderers' Hidetoshi Nakata, Japan have no shortage of creativity while captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto has marshaled the backline imperiously and it is unlikely Zico will tinker too much with his squad in midfield and defense in the coming months.
But Japan's poor finishing in recent matches has been a source of frustration for the Brazilian coach and he says instilling a more ruthless streak into his strike force will be his main priority in the build-up to the finals.