January’s AFC Under-23 Championship in Doha was the platform for the future hope of Japanese football Takuma Asano to spectacularly announce himself to lovers of Asian football. His sensational double strike as a second half substitute helped his nation overturn a two-goal deficit against East Asian rivals South Korea in the final. However, the 21-year-old summer signing for Arsenal believes his love story with the city is an unfinished one.
Asano has made five senior appearances. He stated that he wants to be a key player for the ‘Samurai Blue’ in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar as they seek to match archrivals South Korea’s semi-final appearance in 2002.
“Japan will have a chance to reach the semi-final in 2022,” said the former Sanfrecce Hiroshima man, who is currently preparing to spearhead his country’s forward line in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. “Anything is possible if we put in our best effort each time we take the field, whether it is in the 2022 qualifiers or the main tournament. I will turn 28 in November 2022 and hopefully will be at the peak of my career. But I am not thinking that far ahead now.”
Instead, Asano is training his sights on the third round qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and also the main tournament in Russia.
Four-time Asian champions Japan are in a tough Group B involving Gulf heavyweights Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Asian champions Australia. Iraq, the 2015 Asian Cup semi-finalists, and slick-passing outsiders Thailand complete the group.
“I am confident that I will be selected for the qualifiers. Japan have a very good chance to qualify for Russia,” said Asano. “I need to grab the opportunity in the qualifiers to feature in my first ever World Cup.”
For the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, Asano will not have to look outside his country to derive inspiration. “My motivation comes from watching Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Shinji Kagawa,” he explained. “These are great players and there is a strong feeling in me that I have to surpass the high standards they have set. There is an opportunity to step into their shoes. To seize this I will have to work hard every day to the best of my ability. But it is not easy.”     
In Doha, Asano’s composure in front of goal turned the game for his country. The forward has illustrated further that he has a mature head on his young shoulders by turning into positive energy the high expectations from his countrymen and lovers of Asian football. “I do not feel any pressure at all, but certainly there is a feeling of huge responsibility as a professional footballer,” he revealed. “I am happy about this feeling though and it helps me to play better.”
Such confidence makes it easy to forget that he is just beginning his international career. “I was thrilled to score my first international goal at the senior level. I wanted it to happen very quickly,” said Asano, who scored that goal in a 7-2 demolition of Bulgaria in last month’s Kirrin Cup semi-final.  
A glorious international future beckons for Asano, who won two Japanese league titles with Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2013 and 2015. So too does a stint in north London under the guidance of tactical maestro Arsene Wenger, who previously managed Japanese club Nagoya Grampus.
But the promising striker keeps himself grounded and knows where the journey as a potential Asian and global star began. “The moment when I scored my second goal [Japan’s third in the 81st minute] in Doha, undoubtedly,” he said. “That is the best moment of my life.”
Six years from now, if Asano can repeat that act, Doha could well claim the Japanese star as its adopted son. (SC.qa)