Latest news with #Jap
Asahi Shimbun
11 hours ago
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Hotels work to retain foreign staff to tackle labor shortage
Nguyen Thi Thuy and Nguyen Thi Nhung who work at a hotel operated by Sumitomo Realty and Development Co. in Tokyo's Ota Ward in June (Takeshi Owada) As inbound tourism to Japan skyrockets, the hospitality industry is facing a labor shortage and is increasingly relying on foreign staff to clean rooms, make beds and keep hotels running. Hotel operators are therefore enhancing their efforts to train and retain foreign staff to secure workers. On June 17, a reception was held at a hall in Haneda Airport for Vietnamese technical intern trainees working at a hotel owned by Sumitomo Realty and Development Co. A video of the event will be shown to their families in Vietnam later. The group hired its first 80 Vietnamese trainees in 2019, and in 2024, it increased the number to 400. They are all Vietnamese women and, between them, oversee about 3,500 rooms out of the group's total of about 5,350 hotel rooms. Tomoyuki Komori, president of Villa Fontaine Hotel, which is operated by the company, said, 'They are extremely talented. They greet guests with a smile, so they have a great reputation with the guests.' Komori said the hotel plans to hire more staff in the future. The labor shortage in the industry is serious. According to a labor force survey by the internal affairs ministry, the number of employees in the hospitality industry stood at 580,000 as of 2024 and has not recovered to its pre-pandemic level of 650,000 in 2019. The employment vacancy rate in the accommodation and food services industry was 4.4 percent, higher than the 2.9 percent rate for all industries, according to a survey conducted by the labor ministry on employment trends for the first half of 2024. For this reason, hotel operators are turning to foreign staff as the human resources needed to support on-site operations, and are working to retain them by providing detailed support. Sumitomo Realty and Development promotes foreign staff to on-site supervisor positions, or other positions with salary increases, after three or five years of service as incentives to stay with the company. Particular attention is paid to the families of foreign workers. Since 2019, the company has held a total of eight company information sessions and get-togethers for families in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, showing videos of their children at work and enjoying barbecues. Nguyen Thi Thuy, 23, is a staff member who joined the company in 2023. 'I want to make use of what I have learned when I return home after gaining experience,' she said. Another employee, Nguyen Thi Nhung, 25, who joined the company in 2022, said, 'I want to study more so that I can contribute to the company and support my family financially.' Daiwa House Industry Co. manages 56 hotels nationwide, where 777 Indonesian women work as of May. The company hires 200 people a year who have studied at Japanese language schools in Indonesia. Once they join the company, they are evaluated once every three months on their ability, motivation and Japanese language level. Their performance is then reflected in their grade, salary increase and promotion opportunities. Kazuhisa Yamamoto, who heads the hotel support department at Daiwa Lifenext Co., said, 'We give back through raises and promotions so that their motivation continues.' Mori Trust Hotels and Resorts Co. had 99 foreign employees as of the end of fiscal 2024, accounting for 9.7 percent of its total workforce. Since February, the company has been working to enable a diverse workplace to play an active role by holding a trial Japanese language course focusing on 'omotenashi' hospitality with university lecturers. It has also held competitions and other events for foreign staff and Japanese employees to work together to come up with company-wide initiatives. Miwako Date, the company president who is also the vice chair of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives (Keizai Doyukai), said that the central government has set a target of attracting 60 million annual visitors to Japan by 2030. 'There is increasing concern about a labor shortage in the hospitality industry,' she said. 'We would like to build a system to accommodate travelers with a high-quality experience so that there will be no opportunities lost in one of the few growth industries in Japan.'
Kyodo News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Kyodo News
FOCUS: "Japan first" push puts PM in dilemma on Trump tariffs ahead of polls
By Noriyuki Suzuki, KYODO NEWS - 9 minutes ago - 17:09 | All, Japan, World Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ended up empty handed in what was viewed as a high-stake meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Canada to clinch a deal over U.S. tariffs, suggesting he is in a dilemma as he seeks to put "Japan first" ahead of a must-win national election. Ishiba, whose premiership could be put in peril with another election loss, is treading carefully not to be perceived as yielding to Trump's "America First" pressure and is making his case that there will be no agreement if it hurts Japan's national interest. He also hopes to set a precedent for other countries that negotiations on U.S. tariffs can produce results that can benefit both sides, not one side, without stepping back from Japan's long-held role as a defender of free trade under multilateral arrangements, trade experts say. High on the protection list are autos, as the sector serves as the backbone of the export-driven Japanese economy. But Japan's persistence in demanding a 25 percent auto tariff imposed by the Trump administration be removed -- or reduced at least -- complicates bilateral negotiations, they say. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Trump on Monday on the fringes of the Group of Seven summit in Canada's picturesque Kananaskis, Ishiba admitted that last-ditch efforts to reach an agreement had continued. "We negotiated to the greatest extent possible over the possibility (of a deal)," he said. "We spoke our hearts out to protect each other's national interests." The meeting capped six rounds of bilateral ministerial-level tariff negotiations, which started in April after Trump imposed new tariffs on steel, aluminum and autos while threatening further "reciprocal tariffs" that could be raised to as high as 24 percent against imports from Japan. Expectations had grown that some sort of agreement could come out of the sit-down between Ishiba and Trump, the second of its kind since February. But the only thing the two leaders agreed upon during their half-hour talks was to accelerate negotiations. Junichi Sugawara, senior fellow at Owls Consulting Group Inc., said gaps over the auto tariff likely prevented what could have been the "best scenario" for the latest summit -- namely to reach a broad agreement the details of which could be later hammered out by working-level officials. "Ultimately, it boils down to whether Japan can come up with plans that are strong enough to prompt Trump to say 'yes' to," said Sugawara, an expert on trade negotiations, referring to proposals on energy investment and ways to enhance economic security in the face of China's growing global influence. Japan has urged the U.S. government to reconsider its tariff policy, which Trump has implemented as a way to reduce his country's massive trade deficit. Last year, Japan shipped around 1.38 million cars to the United States, accounting for more than a quarter of U.S.-bound shipments from Japan in value. The higher levy on U.S.-bound automobiles, therefore, would have a strong bearing on Japanese automakers. When Japan held trade negotiations with the United States under Trump's first term as president, it scrambled to fend off a threatened higher auto tariff and barely escaped from the levies by agreeing to cut tariffs on U.S. farm produce such as pork and beef. As Japan braces for a House of Councillors election on July 20, months after Ishiba's ruling coalition lost its majority in the more powerful House of Representatives in a general election, making easy concessions in tariff talks was never on the table. "Accepting the 25 percent auto tariff would have prompted a strong backlash from labor unions and industry groups and hurt voter support," said Hideo Kumano, an executive chief economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute. "It's the right thing to avoid rushing to a deal because it may be better to see how other countries negotiate their own deals," he said. Yet, without a deal, the economic repercussions will be felt. The major automakers may be able to withstand the effect of the auto tariff for the time being, but the situation will be different for smaller suppliers, according to Kumano. If Trump's tariff policy translates into negative growth for the U.S. economy, this would be a source of concern for Trump and could prompt a rethink. The Japanese economy, meanwhile, is in on shakier ground, with the elevated prices boding ill for the July upper house election. The tariff negotiations also have diplomatic implications, which Ishiba is keenly aware of. The prime minister has told fellow lawmakers that when he holds talks with foreign leaders, they spend a large amount of time talking about Trump. "We are negotiating representing Asia," he was quoted as saying about the Japan-U.S. tariff talks. In the run-up to the summit with Trump, Ishiba held a series of phone calls or in-person meetings with most of the members of the trans-Pacific free trade pact that Japan salvaged following the U.S. withdrawal during Trump's first term. Ishiba, delivering a speech at a recent event to discuss the future of Asia, said Japan will take the lead in expanding the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership framework to include more members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union. Sugawara, the trade expert, said when the United States is using "economic coercion" to urge Japanese action, Tokyo will have little choice but to explore ways to reduce its overdependence on the key market and find alternatives. The TPP, formally known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, could be a key arrangement. "What Japan should do is to first prioritize its bilateral negotiations with the United States. It also needs to promote dialogue with ASEAN or Europe and keep them updated" as they are also suffering from Trump's tariffs, Sugawara said. "If Japan thinks it can still demand the complete removal of the auto tariff, realistically it'd be a tall order," he said. "But they can work to find common ground in a way that can be logically explained to the peoples of both nations." Related coverage: PM Ishiba says Japan Inc. suffering under Trump tariffs Trump says he sees chance of trade deal with "tough" Japan Japan, U.S. fail to reach tariff deal at Ishiba-Trump summit
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US Steel Sale to Nippon Steel Poised to Close After Trump Deal
(Bloomberg) -- Nippon Steel Corp. won conditional US approval for its $14.1 billion purchase of United States Steel Corp., capping a lengthy saga in a tie-up that will create one of the world's largest steel companies. Shuttered NY College Has Alumni Fighting Over Its Future Trump's Military Parade Has Washington Bracing for Tanks and Weaponry NYC Renters Brace for Price Hikes After Broker-Fee Ban Do World's Fairs Still Matter? As Part of a $45 Billion Push, ICE Prepares for a Vast Expansion of Detention Space In a release Friday, the companies said they've committed to a national security agreement proposed by the Trump administration, which earlier cleared the deal subject to those terms. As part of the $55-per-share deal, the Japanese company will invest an additional $11 billion by 2028, including an initial commitment in a greenfield project that would be completed after 2028. Nippon had previously raised its pledged additional investment in an effort to win President Donald Trump's approval. Nippon Steel will also spend an extra $3 billion after 2028 for a new steel mill, according to people familiar with the matter. That would push the total additional investment — on top of the purchase price — to $14 billion. Earlier Friday, Trump formally opened the door to approving the sale of US Steel by submitting the agreement to the companies and amending former President Joe Biden's move to block the agreement in an executive order. The president's action cleared the sale so long as the companies comply with the government's terms. 'President Trump promised to protect American Steel and American Jobs — and he has delivered on that promise,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a written statement. 'Today's executive order ensures US Steel will remain in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and be safeguarded as a critical element of America's national and economic security.' Nippon Steel and US Steel in the release said they had received regulatory approvals and that 'the partnership is expected to be finalized promptly.' The deal is expected to close by June 18, the merger agreement deadline, Japan's Nikkei reported on Saturday, without saying where it got the information. Trump earlier this week said the US would receive a so-called golden share in the post-transaction company, though it's not clear what that would entail. The companies confirmed that the US would get a golden share but didn't elaborate. The terms of the security agreement include significant and unprecedented US control measures, as well as certain control over some board seats and requirements that some leadership roles go to American citizens, according to a person familiar with the pact, speaking on condition of anonymity. The golden share does not include an equity stake in the company, the person said. Earlier: Nippon Steel Plans $6 Billion Investment in Its Japanese Mills 'The Japanese government believes that this investment will strengthen the ability of the Japanese and US steel industries to generate new innovation and lead to the strengthening of the close partnership between Japan and the US,' Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yoji Muto, said in a written statement. 'We welcome the decision of the US government.' Trump and Biden as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned against the deal, before the former president blocked it in January. Trump has since reversed his position, insisting that the agreement would preserve steel jobs in the US. The text of the security agreement hasn't been released. Trump and others have previously announced other elements of the deal, including bonuses to steelworkers, a requirement to keep existing blast furnaces running for a decade, and government veto power to retain control over the board of the US Steel subsidiary. Trump has also hailed the accord as vindication of his trade policies, which have seen the administration levy tariffs in a bid to pressure companies to shift more manufacturing to the US. Japan has been engaging in negotiations with the US over trade in a bid to avoid higher levies Trump has threatened. Trump's decision to champion Nippon Steel's bid offers to provide fresh momentum for those talks. Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania two weeks ago, at US Steel's iconic Mon Valley facility, celebrating the deal with a crowd of steelworkers, even though it had not yet been finalized. Earlier: US, Mexico Near Deal to Cut Steel Duties and Cap Imports Trump also used that event to announce he was doubling his tariffs on steel and aluminum, raising them to 50% from 25%. Since that rally, government officials, company executives and deal advisers worked to hammer out the finer details and get the final signatures. The deal creates a combined company that will be the world's second-largest steelmaker. It will become a formidable domestic competitor to Nucor Corp., which for a generation has dominated the American steel industry. The acquisition also clears the way for enhanced steelmaking in areas the US has lagged in recent years, including the type of steel critical to bolster ailing electric grids across the country. The Japanese steelmaker's takeover became a political lightning rod after the leadership of the United Steelworkers – based, like US Steel itself, in Pittsburgh – staunchly opposed the tie-up. Biden sided with them, as did Trump. The deal has taken a winding path with extensions, a Biden block, a legal fight, and then Trump's decision to reexamine it before ultimately clearing it. Nippon Steel and US Steel have steadily tried to address worries, with Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori making repeated visits to the US to clinch the deal. Divisions within the union were laid bare through the process, with local union leaders expressing support for the deal and breaking with their national leadership. Trump's reversal was a few months in the making. In February, he surprised the parties by blessing some kind of a minority stake — an announcement they hadn't been privy to and didn't understand. The deal, then and now, was built on Nippon Steel buying US Steel entirely. The question was mitigation measures. The president said he supported a 'planned partnership' between the companies on May 23, without providing details of an announcement that appeared to bless the original deal with additional mitigation measures. --With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Meghashyam Mali and Yoshiaki Nohara. (Updates with potential closing timeframe in eighth paragraph.) American Mid: Hampton Inn's Good-Enough Formula for World Domination The Spying Scandal Rocking the World of HR Software New Grads Join Worst Entry-Level Job Market in Years As Companies Abandon Climate Pledges, Is There a Silver Lining? US Tariffs Threaten to Derail Vietnam's Historic Industrial Boom ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US Steel Sale to Nippon Steel Poised to Close After Trump Deal
(Bloomberg) -- Nippon Steel Corp. won conditional US approval for its $14.1 billion purchase of United States Steel Corp., capping a lengthy saga in a tie-up that will create one of the world's largest steel companies. Shuttered NY College Has Alumni Fighting Over Its Future Trump's Military Parade Has Washington Bracing for Tanks and Weaponry NYC Renters Brace for Price Hikes After Broker-Fee Ban Do World's Fairs Still Matter? As Part of a $45 Billion Push, ICE Prepares for a Vast Expansion of Detention Space In a release Friday, the companies said they've committed to a national security agreement proposed by the Trump administration, which earlier cleared the deal subject to those terms. As part of the $55-per-share deal, the Japanese company will invest an additional $11 billion by 2028, including an initial commitment in a greenfield project that would be completed after 2028. Nippon had previously raised its pledged additional investment in an effort to win President Donald Trump's approval. Nippon Steel will also spend an extra $3 billion after 2028 for a new steel mill, according to people familiar with the matter. That would push the total additional investment — on top of the purchase price — to $14 billion. Earlier Friday, Trump formally opened the door to approving the sale of US Steel by submitting the agreement to the companies and amending former President Joe Biden's move to block the agreement in an executive order. The president's action cleared the sale so long as the companies comply with the government's terms. 'President Trump promised to protect American Steel and American Jobs — and he has delivered on that promise,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a written statement. 'Today's executive order ensures US Steel will remain in the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and be safeguarded as a critical element of America's national and economic security.' Nippon Steel and US Steel in the release said they had received regulatory approvals and that 'the partnership is expected to be finalized promptly.' The deal is expected to close by June 18, the merger agreement deadline, Japan's Nikkei reported on Saturday, without saying where it got the information. Trump earlier this week said the US would receive a so-called golden share in the post-transaction company, though it's not clear what that would entail. The companies confirmed that the US would get a golden share but didn't elaborate. The terms of the security agreement include significant and unprecedented US control measures, as well as certain control over some board seats and requirements that some leadership roles go to American citizens, according to a person familiar with the pact, speaking on condition of anonymity. The golden share does not include an equity stake in the company, the person said. Earlier: Nippon Steel Plans $6 Billion Investment in Its Japanese Mills 'The Japanese government believes that this investment will strengthen the ability of the Japanese and US steel industries to generate new innovation and lead to the strengthening of the close partnership between Japan and the US,' Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Yoji Muto, said in a written statement. 'We welcome the decision of the US government.' Trump and Biden as well as former Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned against the deal, before the former president blocked it in January. Trump has since reversed his position, insisting that the agreement would preserve steel jobs in the US. The text of the security agreement hasn't been released. Trump and others have previously announced other elements of the deal, including bonuses to steelworkers, a requirement to keep existing blast furnaces running for a decade, and government veto power to retain control over the board of the US Steel subsidiary. Trump has also hailed the accord as vindication of his trade policies, which have seen the administration levy tariffs in a bid to pressure companies to shift more manufacturing to the US. Japan has been engaging in negotiations with the US over trade in a bid to avoid higher levies Trump has threatened. Trump's decision to champion Nippon Steel's bid offers to provide fresh momentum for those talks. Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania two weeks ago, at US Steel's iconic Mon Valley facility, celebrating the deal with a crowd of steelworkers, even though it had not yet been finalized. Earlier: US, Mexico Near Deal to Cut Steel Duties and Cap Imports Trump also used that event to announce he was doubling his tariffs on steel and aluminum, raising them to 50% from 25%. Since that rally, government officials, company executives and deal advisers worked to hammer out the finer details and get the final signatures. The deal creates a combined company that will be the world's second-largest steelmaker. It will become a formidable domestic competitor to Nucor Corp., which for a generation has dominated the American steel industry. The acquisition also clears the way for enhanced steelmaking in areas the US has lagged in recent years, including the type of steel critical to bolster ailing electric grids across the country. The Japanese steelmaker's takeover became a political lightning rod after the leadership of the United Steelworkers – based, like US Steel itself, in Pittsburgh – staunchly opposed the tie-up. Biden sided with them, as did Trump. The deal has taken a winding path with extensions, a Biden block, a legal fight, and then Trump's decision to reexamine it before ultimately clearing it. Nippon Steel and US Steel have steadily tried to address worries, with Vice Chairman Takahiro Mori making repeated visits to the US to clinch the deal. Divisions within the union were laid bare through the process, with local union leaders expressing support for the deal and breaking with their national leadership. Trump's reversal was a few months in the making. In February, he surprised the parties by blessing some kind of a minority stake — an announcement they hadn't been privy to and didn't understand. The deal, then and now, was built on Nippon Steel buying US Steel entirely. The question was mitigation measures. The president said he supported a 'planned partnership' between the companies on May 23, without providing details of an announcement that appeared to bless the original deal with additional mitigation measures. --With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Meghashyam Mali and Yoshiaki Nohara. (Updates with potential closing timeframe in eighth paragraph.) American Mid: Hampton Inn's Good-Enough Formula for World Domination The Spying Scandal Rocking the World of HR Software New Grads Join Worst Entry-Level Job Market in Years As Companies Abandon Climate Pledges, Is There a Silver Lining? US Tariffs Threaten to Derail Vietnam's Historic Industrial Boom ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
The Advertiser
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Socceroos search for a hero as date with destiny looms
The Socceroos hope to uncover a new national hero and show Japan who the true boss of Asian football is when the arch rivals lock horns in Thursday night's World Cup qualifier in Perth. Group C leaders Japan (20 points) have already locked in qualification for the 2026 World Cup, leaving Australia (13 points) and Saudi Arabia (10 points) to fight for the second automatic qualifying spot. The Socceroos will host Japan in front of more than 50,000 fans at Optus Stadium on Thursday before rounding out this group stage against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah next week. A win over Japan would almost certainly be enough for the Socceroos to book their World Cup berth - barring a disastrous loss in the vicinity of five goals or more to Saudi Arabia in their final game. For the Socceroos players who have experienced it before, sealing qualification for a World Cup is considered an ultimate career highlight. John Aloisi's famous penalty in the 2005 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay is etched into Australian sporting folklore. Substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was the man in 2022 when his penalty shootout heroics sealed a shock win over Peru and passage through to the Qatar World Cup. Socceroos attacker Martin Boyle was there when Australia secured their spot for the 2022 World Cup, and he wants history to repeat itself. "I've played in a lot of big games before, but these are the games that you can be a hero in," Boyle said. "To this day, it's probably the greatest situation that I've had in my career, qualifying for that World Cup. "There's no better feeling. And just the adrenaline, the buzz - it's the pinnacle of people's careers." Japan are ranked 15th in the world - the best team in Asia. Australia (26th) are only the fourth highest in Asia, with Japan, Iran (18th) and South Korea (23rd) all ranked above them. Veteran goalkeeper Maty Ryan doesn't agree with the rankings. "In my eyes, we're the best in Asia." Ryan said. "If you don't believe you're the best then I think you're sort of failing at the first hurdle. "You've got to go out there and believe that you can overcome whatever challenges are in front of you. "And obviously there's a fine line without being arrogant and being complacent or anything like that. "They (Japan) have got great players playing in some of the best competitions in the world. "But at the end of the day, when we step over that white line, we're all human, and we're all equal in that regard." Ryan, who was the starting goalkeeper in that famous win over Peru, has been telling stories of that night to help inspire his teammates to clinch qualification again. "It's a difficult one to find words to describe the ecstasy of it," he said. "As a footballer, there's no more meaningful moment than a World Cup qualification like that." The Socceroos hope to uncover a new national hero and show Japan who the true boss of Asian football is when the arch rivals lock horns in Thursday night's World Cup qualifier in Perth. Group C leaders Japan (20 points) have already locked in qualification for the 2026 World Cup, leaving Australia (13 points) and Saudi Arabia (10 points) to fight for the second automatic qualifying spot. The Socceroos will host Japan in front of more than 50,000 fans at Optus Stadium on Thursday before rounding out this group stage against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah next week. A win over Japan would almost certainly be enough for the Socceroos to book their World Cup berth - barring a disastrous loss in the vicinity of five goals or more to Saudi Arabia in their final game. For the Socceroos players who have experienced it before, sealing qualification for a World Cup is considered an ultimate career highlight. John Aloisi's famous penalty in the 2005 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay is etched into Australian sporting folklore. Substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was the man in 2022 when his penalty shootout heroics sealed a shock win over Peru and passage through to the Qatar World Cup. Socceroos attacker Martin Boyle was there when Australia secured their spot for the 2022 World Cup, and he wants history to repeat itself. "I've played in a lot of big games before, but these are the games that you can be a hero in," Boyle said. "To this day, it's probably the greatest situation that I've had in my career, qualifying for that World Cup. "There's no better feeling. And just the adrenaline, the buzz - it's the pinnacle of people's careers." Japan are ranked 15th in the world - the best team in Asia. Australia (26th) are only the fourth highest in Asia, with Japan, Iran (18th) and South Korea (23rd) all ranked above them. Veteran goalkeeper Maty Ryan doesn't agree with the rankings. "In my eyes, we're the best in Asia." Ryan said. "If you don't believe you're the best then I think you're sort of failing at the first hurdle. "You've got to go out there and believe that you can overcome whatever challenges are in front of you. "And obviously there's a fine line without being arrogant and being complacent or anything like that. "They (Japan) have got great players playing in some of the best competitions in the world. "But at the end of the day, when we step over that white line, we're all human, and we're all equal in that regard." Ryan, who was the starting goalkeeper in that famous win over Peru, has been telling stories of that night to help inspire his teammates to clinch qualification again. "It's a difficult one to find words to describe the ecstasy of it," he said. "As a footballer, there's no more meaningful moment than a World Cup qualification like that." The Socceroos hope to uncover a new national hero and show Japan who the true boss of Asian football is when the arch rivals lock horns in Thursday night's World Cup qualifier in Perth. Group C leaders Japan (20 points) have already locked in qualification for the 2026 World Cup, leaving Australia (13 points) and Saudi Arabia (10 points) to fight for the second automatic qualifying spot. The Socceroos will host Japan in front of more than 50,000 fans at Optus Stadium on Thursday before rounding out this group stage against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah next week. A win over Japan would almost certainly be enough for the Socceroos to book their World Cup berth - barring a disastrous loss in the vicinity of five goals or more to Saudi Arabia in their final game. For the Socceroos players who have experienced it before, sealing qualification for a World Cup is considered an ultimate career highlight. John Aloisi's famous penalty in the 2005 World Cup qualifier against Uruguay is etched into Australian sporting folklore. Substitute goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne was the man in 2022 when his penalty shootout heroics sealed a shock win over Peru and passage through to the Qatar World Cup. Socceroos attacker Martin Boyle was there when Australia secured their spot for the 2022 World Cup, and he wants history to repeat itself. "I've played in a lot of big games before, but these are the games that you can be a hero in," Boyle said. "To this day, it's probably the greatest situation that I've had in my career, qualifying for that World Cup. "There's no better feeling. And just the adrenaline, the buzz - it's the pinnacle of people's careers." Japan are ranked 15th in the world - the best team in Asia. Australia (26th) are only the fourth highest in Asia, with Japan, Iran (18th) and South Korea (23rd) all ranked above them. Veteran goalkeeper Maty Ryan doesn't agree with the rankings. "In my eyes, we're the best in Asia." Ryan said. "If you don't believe you're the best then I think you're sort of failing at the first hurdle. "You've got to go out there and believe that you can overcome whatever challenges are in front of you. "And obviously there's a fine line without being arrogant and being complacent or anything like that. "They (Japan) have got great players playing in some of the best competitions in the world. "But at the end of the day, when we step over that white line, we're all human, and we're all equal in that regard." Ryan, who was the starting goalkeeper in that famous win over Peru, has been telling stories of that night to help inspire his teammates to clinch qualification again. "It's a difficult one to find words to describe the ecstasy of it," he said. "As a footballer, there's no more meaningful moment than a World Cup qualification like that."
