Japan's goalkeeper in the 2000 Olympic Games, he eventually pushed out Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi for the number one spot in the full national side.

But a series of errors led to him losing that place once more and he will probably remain Kawaguchi's number two for the foreseeable future.

The 25-year-old, who unlike his rival plays in the J-League, is quick at cutting down attackers.

His lapses in shot stopping, however, have raised eyebrows.