“Coach Moriyasu” Drew the Most Attention in the Japan National Team Commercial… Why He Surpassed Popular Players Like Mitoma and Doan in the Spotlight

Analyzing the players’ popularity from a unique perspective! The number one spot goes to that person—and it makes perfect sense

“There were times when people laughed at us, saying Japan had no business talking about the world stage. Even so, I believe in Japan’s underlying strength.”

These are the words written in a letter by Hajime Moriyasu (57), head coach of the Japan national soccer team. He concludes with the following:

“Now, let’s go for the world title together.”

This is the “APA Hotel” commercial featuring Coach Moriyasu that captivated many viewers. Saori Yasutake, head of public relations and marketing at the TV viewership data analysis firm “REVISIO” (hereinafter referred to as “R”), explains.

“It’s well known that Coach Moriyasu often takes notes during matches. Since many fans are curious about ‘what he’s writing,’ they were likely captivated by the words he penned in the letter.

The strong message at the end—‘Together, Let’s Become World Champions’—directed at fans as they take on the World Cup is also significant. The main time slot for this commercial’s broadcast was 6:00–7:00 a.m. I think viewers were encouraged to ‘do their best at work today’ before heading out, which put them in a positive frame of mind.”

Japan’s impressive run continues at the FIFA World Cup in North and Central America. Company R conducted its own analysis of commercials featuring Japanese national team players and Coach Moriyasu. Rather than relying on viewership ratings—which rise simply by having the TV turned on—they ranked the top 20 commercials based on how captivated viewers were by the screen. (See “Measurement Method” at the end of the article for details.)The ranking also includes Kaoru Mitoma (29) and Takumi Minamino (31), who were left off the national team roster due to injuries, as well as Wataru Endo (33), who withdrew midway through the tournament.”

Mr. Yasutake continued, discussing the overall trend.

“The reason Mitoma appears so frequently in the rankings is that he played in all four matches of the previous tournament (’22) and performed exceptionally well, resulting in 51 commercials—an overwhelmingly higher number than other players (who had around 20 at most).

Furthermore, commercials that showcase behind-the-scenes footage or express the hidden emotions of the Japanese national team rank higher than those that simply feature gameplay. A prime example of this is the No. 1 commercial, ‘Letter’ by APA Hotel, featuring Head Coach Moriyasu.”

Even commercials featuring the hugely popular Mitoma don’t attract much attention

The “Google Pixel Fold” commercial, featuring Mitoma—who ranked second and third—also offers a behind-the-scenes look. Koki Mitsuhashi, marketing team manager at Company R, explains:

“The commercial showcases the playing style of Mitoma, who is active overseas (with Brighton in the English Premier League). In the second spot, ‘Big Screen,’ we see Mitoma reviewing the game footage on a ‘Google Pixel’ and analyzing it with the staff afterward.

The third spot, ‘Translation,’ shows him using the device’s translation feature to converse with Italian staff members after the match. It offers a glimpse behind the scenes of how ‘Team Mitoma’ operates,”

Let’s take a look at the national team’s commercials for this tournament.

“The ad for Yuto Nagatomo (39), ranked 9th, titled ‘Attack ZERO,’ also depicts the ‘behind-the-scenes’ action. It reveals that the Japan national team’s uniforms are washed with the detergent ‘Attack.’ What stands out is Nagatomo’s commentary. He appears on variety shows and is a skilled speaker.With his clever wit—saying things like, ‘It really helps since I’m the one who sweats the most on the world stage,’ and ‘Bravo!’—he captivates viewers.

In “Indeed,” featuring Ritsu Ando (28) at No. 11, three “behind-the-scenes” figures appear: Ando’s manager, medical trainer, and personal chef.“From the footage showing them giving meticulous massages and even considering how much rice to serve for seconds, you can see how they support Ritsu Doan as a team,” says Mr. Mitsuhashi.

On the other hand, commercials with little connection to soccer don’t hold viewers’ attention as well.

“The ‘Black Label’ commercial featuring Mitoma, who ranked 20th, is a prime example. It features actor Satoshi Tsumabuki visiting Mitoma to drink beer together. Since Mitoma is dressed in a suit and there are few soccer elements, it may not be attracting many fans,” said Mr. Yasutake.

Commercials featuring the Japanese national team seem to go beyond mere advertising, serving as a platform to respond to fans’ sentiments.

From the July 10, 2026 issue of *FRIDAY*

“Japan National Team Commercial Ranking” Measurement Method

Company R conducted an original survey in the Kanto region with the cooperation of approximately 2,000 households (about 4,300 people) and in the Kansai region with 600 households (about 1,400 people) to measure the “engagement level”—how closely viewers were watching the screen.Although viewership ratings rise even when people are “multitasking”—such as watching while cooking—the “engagement level” does not increase because they are often not actually looking at the screen.The “score” in the table is based on an average of 100; the higher the number, the greater the level of attention. The survey covered commercials aired on terrestrial television in the Kanto region from October 2020 to June 2026. In addition to commercials featuring individual players, the survey also included those in which multiple players or celebrities appeared together.This includes head coach Hajime Moriyasu, as well as Kaoru Mitoma and Takumi Minamino—who were left off the national team roster due to injury—and Wataru Endo, who withdrew midway through the campaign.