TOKYO - Japan coach Takeshi Okada insisted Thursday he could take the Blue Samurai to the World Cup semi-finals, despite coming under fire for lacking tactics in the team's 2-1 defeat by Australia.

"We have only one year to go but every day I will think about how we can be among the last four at the World Cup," Okada said as his squad returned home the day after their away loss to the Socceroos.

They were greeted by newspaper headlines including: "Replace him right now!", "Japan lack tactics and lose" and "Okada's Japan disappointing."

"One thing should be replaced right now for the good of Japanese football. That is the manager's head," critic Ryohei Suzuki told the daily Nikkan Gendai.

Australia finished top of Asian Group A with 20 points against Japan's 15 after both countries had secured their place in South Africa two rounds earlier.

Okada admitted Japan had been weak on set plays, leading to costly goals against them after they took the lead.

"We must improve our skills in passing under a bit of pressure and increase our speed," he said.

Okada came in for criticism for his decision to send on a striker after Everton midfielder Tim Cahill brought the scores level on 59 minutes and then another forward after the Australian scored again in the 76th minute.

"He should have sent in a player who could deal with Cahill. A coach who cannot think that way is unqualified as a commander," Suzuki said.

"Does manager Okada seriously aim for a last-four spot? If so, he is too ignorant of reality," another critic, Chikashi Hirano, told the same paper.

Japan's last-16 round in 2002 was the team's best result in three World Cup finals appearances since their 1998 debut in the competition.

The influential Asahi Shimbun recalled that Japan's trademark passing game was also hamstrung when they drew 1-1 with unfancied Qatar at home.

"Japan lacked the tactics to rebuild in adversity and didn't have the skill needed to get a win, even if they were out of form," it said.

Okada told a post-match news conference that both Japan - former Asian champions - and Australia had been without several key players.

He rested Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and two other Europe-based players while Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo was out injured and VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe was serving a red-card suspension.

"We don't see any drastic changes needed because of the defeat tonight," Okada said. "We shouldn't be too pessimistic about our performance tonight."

However, some players expressed reservations about the squad's direction.

Up-and-coming striker Shinji Okazaki said: "Australia may be strong in Asia but not so in the world.

"We cannot go any higher if we lose to such opponents."

Brazilian-born centre back Marcus Tulio Tanaka, who opened the scoring with a 40th-minute header, said he had been frustrated "no end" by the loss.

"There are things we need to do in order to raise the level of our game," he said.

The business daily Nikkei said: "A World Cup last-four spot seems endlessly far away from here."

"How will they face up to taller, stronger and more skillful opponents at the world-class level? They have many things to do before the finals in South Africa," the Nikkan Sports said.