JAKARTA (Kyodo) -- A throng of local media gathered for Japan's practice session Monday in Jakarta, signaling the intense interest surrounding the upcoming 2026 World Cup Asian final-round qualifier between the visiting Samurai Blue and Indonesia.

With many of their Europe-based players yet to arrive for Friday's Group C encounter, only six members of Japan's 27-man squad were present for the first session. But that did not deter 50-plus local media members flocking to get a look at Hajime Moriyasu's team.

The Japanese players were also welcomed by a large number of reporters and football fans upon their arrival in the Indonesian capital in Monday's early hours.

"I've never seen something like this," former Inter Milan fullback Yuto Nagatomo, currently at FC Tokyo, said of the local reception. "There was a big commotion at the airport, and I felt a bit like a Hollywood star."

Japan lead the group on 10 points after three wins and a draw, including victories away to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, while Indonesia are fifth on three points after three draws and a defeat.

The top two out of six teams in the group qualify automatically for the World Cup finals to be co-hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is expected to be played in front of a sell-out crowd of around 78,000.

"It motivates me and feels fun. I think many of our players enjoy this atmosphere," Freiburg attacker Ritsu Doan, who has four goals from 10 matches in the German Bundesliga this term, said of the mood surrounding the game.

"I'm sure they (Indonesia) respect us but also desire to overtake Japan. We need to match their competitive spirit."