Soccer: Nanami, Maeda named new Japan national team coaches

Former Japan internationals Hiroshi Nanami and Ryoichi Maeda have been appointed national team coaches to work under manager Hajime Moriyasu, the Japan Football Association announced Tuesday.

Nanami, 50, played as a midfielder for Japan when they made their World Cup debut in 1998. He has previously managed J-League clubs Jubilo Iwata and Matsumoto Yamaga.

Former Samurai Blue forward Maeda, 41, has been in charge of Jubilo’s youth team.

“Nanami has a wealth of hands-on experience, and we have big expectations of him having an impact on Japan’s future,” Yasuharu Sorimachi, the JFA’s technical d…