Nakata: Japan needs to improve
Nakata and his Japanese team-mates were knocked out in the round of sixteen, following a 1-0 defeat to Turkey in Miyagi on Tuesday, despite the co-hosts success of getting out of the group stages being an achievement in itself.
However, the Parma midfielder feels Japan must continue to improve with their football, if they to make a real mark on the international scene in the near future.
Nakata said: "I'm happy that we accomplished our original goal of reaching the last 16, but I was very disappointed that we were beaten in the first match of the knock-out round.
"It was a good match, but the result tells us we still have room for improvement.
"I think we could have gone one more step further. It means we still lack something."
Nakata feels that a bit of over-confidence had crept into Philippe Troussier's side, following a draw against Belgium and victories against Russia and Tunisia, to win Group H.
He added: "I think when Turkey scored their goal, we were not concentrating very well.
"But after they took the lead, we started to concentrate on the match, especially in the second half. We played really well. We just couldn't score a goal.
"But you know, you get days like that in football."
The Japanese ace was not ready to confirm if he would be part of his country's campaign for the next finals in Germany in 2006.
Nakata said: "We've only just finished this one. I have no idea about the next one in four years time. I just want to take a vacation."
