TOKYO: Coach Hajime Moriyasu said Japan's first win over Brazil had been decades in the making and backed his players to use it as a springboard to World Cup success.
Japan stunned Brazil with three second-half goals to claim a 3-2 friendly victory in Tokyo on Tuesday, their first win over the South Americans in 14 attempts.
Moriyasu hailed his players for finally making the breakthrough but also paid tribute to the teams that had paved the way for the historic victory.
"Japan had never beaten Brazil until now but the players who went before us always took on the challenge of trying to beat them and it's because of them that we were able to win today," said the coach.
"This result connects the efforts of the current and previous generations of Japanese players."
Japan beat Germany and Spain at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before losing on penalties to Croatia in the last 16.
Moriyasu has said that Japan are aiming to win next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
He urged his players to keep improving and welcomed the confidence boost less than a year before the tournament begins.
"We will keep doing what we have been doing, trying to raise our level one step at a time," said Moriyasu.
"The World Cup will not be easy and I think Brazil will come back even stronger, so we need to keep taking it one step at a time."
Takumi Minamino started the comeback when he scored early in the second half with Japan two goals down at the interval.
Keito Nakamura added another before Ayase Ueda headed in the winner with 20 minutes remaining.
The result sparked wild celebrations in the stands, with almost 45,000 fans there to see history made.
Striker Shuto Machino said that Monaco forward Minamino, standing in as captain for the injured Wataru Endo, had rallied the players before the game.
"We were playing a team that we had never beaten before, and Takumi told us to make this the game that changed our history," said Machino.
"That's how it turned out."