TOKYO — The off-field controversy surrounding coach Javier Aguirre is an unwelcome distraction for Japan as it seeks to shake off the disappointments of a poor World Cup with a record extending fifth Asian title. Aguirre was named in December by anti-corruption prosecutors as being among 41 people allegedly involved in a match-fixing investigation in Spain, though the 56-year-old Mexican has repeatedly denied the claims. While fans took to social media calling for Aguirre to step down, the Japan Football Association endorsed their manager and said he would be in charge at the Jan. 9-31 tournament in Australia. The former Mexico coach also reached out to fans this week, holding a media conference to again deny the allegations and ask supporters, who were disappointed at the Blue Samurai's group stage World Cup exit, to get behind his team. “I would like to tell our supporters to stay calm during this investigation. We need their support to take the Asian Cup title,” Aguirre said. “I will be concentrating and preparing for the Japan team to win the Asian Cup.”Japan has an impressive record at the Asian tournament, having won a record four titles in seven appearances. Three of those titles have come in the last four events emphasizing the impact of co-hosting the 2002 World Cup had in cementing it as an Asian powerhouse. Aguirre was given the mantle of seeking a fifth title when he replaced Alberto Zaccheroni after the Brazil World Cup campaign and set about tinkering with the squad. He initially ignored several veterans, including record caps holder Yasuhito Endo, to give younger players the opportunity to stake their claims. While his side have beaten Jamaica, Honduras and fellow Asian Cup finalist Australia, it was demolished 4-0 by a Neymar-inspired Brazil in an October friendly in Singapore and pundits suggested his experimentation had failed. Aguirre brought back several veterans for the Asian Cup with captain Makoto Hasebe, who has been plagued by knee injuries, and Endo providing stability in midfield with the attacking thrust coming from AC Milan's Keisuki Honda, the 2011 Player of the Tournament. Honda and Germany-based Shinji Okazaki will also be expected to provide the bulk of the firepower after Aguirre ignored J-League top scorer Yoshito Okubo and in-form Gamba Osaka forward Takashi Usami for the tournament. Japan opens its tournament in Pool D against Palestine on Jan. 12 before facing Iraq and Jordan. The Asian Cup represents an excellent opportunity for Japan to win back the fans, captain Hasebe said. “We let down our supporters with the results we had in Brazil and we want to try and win them back with good results and good performances,” Hasebe was quoted as saying ahead of the team's departure for Australia. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder, however, acknowledged it will not be an easy task for the Blue Samurai. “I think the level of Asian soccer is improving. The players that have played in World Cup qualifiers feel that,” he added. “Teams like Uzbekistan, Qatar and Bahrain, Jordan too. Those teams from the Middle East are getting better and it will not be easy to beat them. “We won the Asian Cup last time and there will be teams really challenging us for the title. We have a chance to win the championship but also know that we could be beaten by anyone,” the AC Milan player said. “The important thing is to go into the games in the right frame of mind,” he added. — Reuters FACTBOX Asian Cup record: Previous appearances in finals: (7) 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2011. Best performance: Winners 1992, 2000, 2004, 2011. Drawn in Group D with Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. Coach: Javier Aguirre: The former Mexico midfielder and coach succeeded Alberto Zaccheroni in July after a terrible 2014 World Cup campaign that ended with the team crashing out in the first round. Aguirre promised a fresh start and a disciplined possession-based attacking game. They lost to Brazil (4-0) but have beaten Jamaica (1-0), Honduras (6-0) and fellow Asian Cup finalists Australia (2-1), since he took over. Key player: Keisuke Honda (AC Milan). Age: 28. Midfielder. After the retirements of Hidetoshi Nakata and Shunsuke Nakamura, much of the attack has been built around the bleach blonde player. Quick and direct he is also a dead-ball specialist. He was the player of the tournament in Japan's 2011 Asian Cup triumph. Honda moved to Italy from CSKA Moscow in January but has struggled to impose himself in Serie A. FIFA world ranking Dec. 2014: 54. How they qualified: As 2011 champions. Squad: Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka) and Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds). Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo), Kosuke Ota (FC Tokyo), Naomichi Ueda (Kawashima Antlers), Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Tsukasa Shiotani (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Gotoku Sakai (VfB Stuttgart) and Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers). Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Hiroshi Kiyotake (Hannover 94) and Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers). Forwards: Yohei Toyoda (Sagan Tosu), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz 05), Keisuke Honda (AC Milan), Yu Kobayashi (Kawasaki Frontale), Takashi Inui (Eintracht Frankfurt) and Yoshinori Muto (FC Tokyo). — Reuters
