Brazil faces Japan in friendly with lesser focus on Neymar

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TOKYO — Brazil goes up against Japan in a soccer friendly in the new National Stadium in Tokyo that hosted the Olympics just under a year ago. Brazil will be the early favorite with defending champion France when the World Cup opens in 5 1/2 months in Qatar. Brazil is fresh from beating South Korea 5-1 in a friendly last week in Seoul. Japan could provide stiffer opposition. Brazil was drawn in the group stage of the World Cup with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon. Japan has a tough road in a group that includes Germany and Spain.