Japan eased the pressure on coach Takeshi Okada with a comprehensive 3-0 win away to Qatar in a World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.
Goals from Tatsuya Tanaka, Keiji Tamada and Marcus Tulio Tanaka gave Japan its first ever win over Qatar at the scene of its infamous "Tragedy of Doha," in the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup and kept Okada's men in second spot in Asian zone Group A.
Japan has seven points from three games, two behind Australia, which made it three wins out of three after a last-gasp goal from Mark Bresciano secured a 1-0 victory over Bahrain in Manama.