Answer
In the 1990s, Masami Ihara captained the Japanese national football team. Ihara made his international debut in 1988 and quickly established himself as a key player for Japan. He was named captain in 1994 and led the team to their first-ever appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 1998. Ihara retired from international football in 1999 after making 122 appearances and scoring 5 goals for Japan.