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Japan 1998 Home

Name: Japan 1998 Home
Brand: ASICS

The ASICS flame shirt of France 1998, the one Japan wore at its first-ever World Cup.

Product image via Classic Football Shirts · source

Maker: ASICS
Cycle: 1998
Type: Home kit
Colorway: Blue, with an all-over tonal flame pattern, a white polo collar with red trim and white piping
Crest: JFA crest featuring the Yatagarasu
Rear neck: White ribbed polo collar
Editions: Replica · Player issue
Rarity: Grail

How to read this page

Officially confirmedConfirmed directly by the manufacturer, the JFA, FIFA, or official product / launch materials.
Sourced reportingReported by reputable specialist kit media where the original primary material is not directly accessible. Sources are listed at the foot.
NBN editorial guidanceNippon Blue Nation's own analysis: buying advice, sizing, counterfeit and market reads. Not official statements.

The story

This is where it all begins. France 1998 was Japan's first-ever World Cup, the reward for the golden goal in Johor Bahru that finally got them there, and this ASICS flame shirt is the one they wore for it. Takeshi Okada's side lost all three group games, to Argentina, Croatia and Jamaica, but the tournament gave Japan its first World Cup goal, Masashi Nakayama striking against Jamaica, and its first World Cup star in a young Hidetoshi Nakata. Okada's brutal call to leave Kazuyoshi 'Kazu' Miura out of the final squad still stings a generation. Blue with flames licking up the body, it is the foundational Samurai Blue shirt, the start of the story every kit since has continued.

The design

Sourced reporting

Theme: Flame

The 1998 home is blue with ASICS's all-over tonal flame graphic rising up the body and sleeves, a white ribbed polo collar with red and white trim, white piping on the shoulders, the ASICS logo and the JFA crest. Made in Japan, the official ASICS uniform of Japan's first World Cup.

Sources: Football Kit Archive — Japan 1998 home

The buying companion

NBN editorial guidance

Which version should you buy?

This is a genuine grail, so the first decision is original versus reissue. Originals are scarce and command a real premium; ASICS and others have sold reissues that look the part for far less. Decide that first, then check condition and authenticity closely.

Original or reissue?
An original 1998 ASICS flame shirt (Made in Japan) is the collector's piece, scarce and priced accordingly. Reissues and remakes look the part for a fraction of the price but are not the original. Decide which you actually want.
Short or long sleeve?
Short sleeve is what you will mostly find, in both originals and reissues.
Which patches?
A World Cup shirt should carry the official 1998 badge; a friendly wears none. Match the patch to the competition the shirt claims.
Which nameset?
Use the ASICS 1998 World Cup font for a France shirt and the standard nameset otherwise.
What size?
Vintage ASICS sizing runs different from modern kits and from US sizing. Go by the garment measurements in the listing, not the letter on the tag, and expect a boxier late-1990s cut.
Where to buy?
Originals live on resale: vintage specialists like Classic Football Shirts, authenticity-checked marketplaces and eBay, or a proxy for Japanese stock.

The versions

Officially confirmed

Replica vs authentic

Replica

The retail fan version. Original stock is resale-only; reissues are also sold.

Fabric: ASICS polyester (Made in Japan)
Fit: Boxier late-1990s cut
Badges: Standard fan-spec

Player issue

The on-field player version worn by the squad, the scarcest original, at a strong premium.

Fabric: Player issue (on-field spec)
Fit: On-field cut
Badges: Player-spec

Which one is right for you is in the buying companion above. This table is just what each version is.

Patches & nameset

Officially confirmed

Patches

multiple

· No competition patch (friendlies / qualifiers)
· FIFA World Cup 1998 badge (tournament shirts)

Match the patch to the competition the shirt claims.

Nameset

multiple

· ASICS 1998 World Cup nameset
· Standard JFA/ASICS nameset for non-tournament matches

Match the nameset to the shirt's competition.

Before you buy

NBN editorial guidance

How not to get burned

Original versus reissue is the first trap on a grail this famous: a reissue sold as an original at original prices.
Condition on a shirt nearly thirty years old: cracked prints, pilling, fading, pulls and repairs are common.
Counterfeit exposure is very high on the flame kit: authenticate carefully against verified originals.
A reseller who will not send wash-tag, collar-tag and construction photos. No tag photos, no bid.
A price far below the going rate for a clean original: too cheap is the tell.

What a fair purchase looks like

Know which market you are in. A clean original flame shirt commands a real premium and condition drives price; a reissue should cost a small fraction of that. Treat a 'cheap original' as a reissue or a condition problem until proven otherwise.

Sizing

US market

Buying from US-market resale: vintage ASICS sizing differs from modern kits, so follow the garment measurements in the listing rather than the tag letter, and expect a boxier late-1990s cut.

Japanese domestic stock

Buying Japanese domestic stock: Japanese labels and measurements differ again, and a Japanese size is not a US equivalent. Compare the garment measurements, and note this was Made in Japan, so most originals carry Japanese sizing.

Spotting a fake

First establish original versus reissue: match the wash tag, collar tag (Made in Japan) and construction against verified images of the original 1998 ASICS shirt, and be wary of reissues sold as originals. On an original this age, condition and tag era matter as much as the print. Be cautious if a seller will not share detailed tag and code photos.

The market read

NBN editorial guidance

Retail status

Sold out

Availability

Scarce

Counterfeit risk

High

Price position

Strong premium

Demand

High

Confidence

Medium

As of the review date, a grail: the flame shirt of Japan's first World Cup, long out of production, genuinely scarce in clean original condition and priced at a strong premium, with condition and provenance driving value. Very high demand and heavy reissue and counterfeit activity make authentication the whole game here. This is a time-sensitive read; check current resale pricing in the Buying Guide.

NBN editorial assessment, not live market data. Reviewed Aug 9, 2026; next review Nov 9, 2026. Current retailer stock and pricing live in the Buying Guide.

Where it was worn

Officially confirmed

Worn at the 1998 World Cup in France, Japan's first, under Takeshi Okada. Japan lost all three Group H games (0-1 Argentina, 0-1 Croatia, 1-2 Jamaica), but Masashi Nakayama scored the nation's first-ever World Cup goal against Jamaica.

Where to buy

Shopping for this era?

See NBN's complete guide to sizing, authentication, retailers, and Japan-only marketplaces.

Open the Buying Guide →

Keep exploring

Sources

Image credits

Hero: Product image via Classic Football Shirts (Editorial use) · source

Nippon Blue Nation is an independent fan project and is not affiliated with adidas, ASICS, the JFA, or FIFA. Product images are used editorially to identify and discuss the kit, with each image's source credited above. Buying guidance is editorial and vendor-neutral; some outbound links may be affiliate links, noted where they appear.

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