The pressure is on for Japan's new boss Nishino

Japan's national soccer team's new head coach Akira Nishino attends a news conference in Tokyo, Japan April 12, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s relatively routine build-up to the World Cup was shaken dramatically by the surprise decision to fire head coach Vahid Halilhodzic two months before the finals in Russia.

After leading Japan to their sixth consecutive World Cup, the Bosnian was dismissed and replaced with former Japan Football Association (JFA) technical director Akira Nishino.