The Samurai Blue kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 loss to Cote d'Ivoire and, after being held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Greece, went into their final Group C fixture needing to defeat Colombia to have any chance of progressing to the last 16.
However, Japan were routed 4-1 by the South Americans, prompting Zaccheroni to call time on his four-year spell with the Asian nation.
