Under national coach Hans Ooft, Japan reached the 1994 World Cup qualification final stage for the 1994 World Cup. He was on the pitch, after replacing Masashi Nakayama in the 81st minute, when Japan's hope to play in the finals in the USA was dashed by an injury-time Iraqi equaliser in the last qualifier, the match that the Japanese fans now refer to as the "Agony of Doha" ().