Harry Kane was sidelined at the last minute after picking up an injury during training, and his absence proved impossible to fill. England failed to recover after falling behind, handing Japan a significant victory ahead of the World Cup.

At London's Wembley Stadium, the hosts delivered another disappointing performance within four days, falling 1-0 to Japan in this international friendly.

Thomas Tuchel's side failed to secure a single win in their final two home warm-up matches before the World Cup. Last Friday, they were held to a 1-1 draw by Uruguay at the same venue.

Despite dominating possession and attempting numerous attacks, England struggled to keep their shots on target. A critical error by Cole Palmer in the 23rd minute saw the hosts fall behind.

The visitors launched a swift counter-attack after dispossessing the Chelsea winger. Mitoma, receiving a pass inside the box, found the net with a clinical placing shot. Remarkably, this was Japan's first shot of the match.

England's sharpness continued to fade as the match progressed. They nearly conceded a second early in the second half, but Jordan Pickford denied Ritsu Doan to keep the deficit at one.

In Kane's absence, Phil Foden—deployed as a 'false nine' by the England manager—struggled to make an impact. Tuchel opted for a quadruple substitution in the 59th minute, taking off both Foden and Palmer.

While England registered several attempts in the remaining time, they rarely managed to truly test the Japanese defense.

As the final whistle blew, the England team was met with boos from a section of their own supporters in the stands.

This victory marks Japan's first-ever win against England in four meetings. For the Three Lions, currently ranked fourth in the FIFA rankings, it was their second defeat in 12 matches under Thomas Tuchel's management.