Ex-Celtic flop Hayato Inamura has insisted he only returned home because he is desperate to force his way into the Japan squad and follow Daizen Maeda's path.
The defender signed for FC Tokyo last week after a miserable spell in Scottish football, where he played just one game for the Scottish champions.
However, the 24-year-old insisted his time at Celtic wasn't a waste of time and he gained invaluable experience.
He said: "It's absolutely true that one of my reasons for returning to Japan was my ambition of making the full squad.
"I watched my very good friend Daizen Maeda make a huge impression at the World Cup and I want to follow him.
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"He helped me a lot at Celtic and took good care of me.
"It's not a restart for me at FC Tokyo, but I want to get back playing.
"I learned a lot at Celtic and grew a lot as a player.
"Watching the World Cup reminded me of the many good players Japan have and I want to be a part of that.
"I really want to be on that stage with them and this is the best way for my career to grow.
"I am aiming high."
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