Usami was named among the 23-man squad that will represent the Samurai Blue when they take on Colombia, Senegal and Poland in the country’s sixth straight qualification for the Finals, and his selection prompted an outpouring of emotion.
"My wife was in tears,” said the 26-year-old former Gamba Osaka and Bayern Munich midfielder, who made his debut for Japan in 2015. “It's the first time ever that my wife cried over football or what I achieved in my career.
“(The World Cup) is a place I've been wanting to get to ever since I watched the 2002 World Cup. I wouldn't be lying if I said the reason I can stay motivated about football is because of the World Cup.”
Usami’s sentiments were shared by many of the players named by the recently appointed Nishino, who oversaw his first game in charge on Wednesday when Japan slipped to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Ghana in Yokohama.
Despite the recent difficulties, which have seen Nishino take over from Vahid Halilhodzic just two months before the World Cup begins, Genki Haraguchi believes the four-time AFC Asian Cup winners can advance to the knockout phase of the competition.
Japan reached the Round of 16 in 2002 and in 2010 but Usami is expecting more.
"The goal for me is the quarter-finals, to go where Japan have never gone before,” said Haraguchi, who is teammates with Usami and Fortuna Dusseldorf.
“There are a lot of players who helped us get through qualifying and punch our ticket to the World Cup but they cannot be here. So I need to get the job done for them since I'm representing Japan."
Kashima Antlers defender Naomichi Ueda went further, stating the Japanese should be targeting the title during the five-week long tournament.
"As long as we are in this thing, we have to try to win it all,” he said. “It's certainly a tall order, but that must be the bar as a team. I'm personally looking to get a game and help Japan to victory."
Captain Makoto Hasebe was also among the 23-man squad named by Nishino and the 34-year-old veteran will be making his third appearance at the World Cup.
“We are fully aware the Japan national team are currently in a tough spot,” said Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder. “But I'm convinced we have a team that can find ourselves out of this situation.”
