The reported return of Endo matters beyond selection optics. He is the midfielder who gives Japan control without the ball and composure with it. In tournament football, that profile is often the difference between a neat team and a difficult one.
That approach fits the recent pattern. The report says Japan qualified early and did so with authority.
If Mitoma and Minamino are indeed absent, Japan lose direct running, one-v-one threat and experience in the final third. That shifts more creative responsibility onto players such as Takefusa Kubo and Daichi Kamada, while the central forwards may need to turn fewer chances into goals.
The encouraging backdrop is recent form. The report says Japan finished their qualifying group with 23 points from 10 matches, scoring 30 goals and conceding only 3. It also says Kamada and Kōki Ogawa finished as the team’s leading scorers in qualifying.
Japan’s opening match is reportedly against the Netherlands on 14 June in Arlington. That is the fixture that will set the tone.
A strong opener would immediately ease pressure on a reshaped attack. A slow start would make every missing attacker feel bigger.
Japan have built a reputation for being organised, competitive and hard to shake loose at World Cups. The next question is whether that platform can survive the loss of two attacking names when the tournament begins on 14 June.