Gianni Infantino faces a first credible challenger for his Fifa presidency after the head of the Japan Football Association announced he would run at next year’s election.

Kozo Tashima, who has been on Fifa’s ruling committee since 2015, says his candidacy is “not about winning or losing but about conveying to the world the honest, sound and upright attitude that Japanese football has built”.

Tashima comes forward as Infantino faces another week of scrutiny from his critics, including new documents, seen by Telegraph Sport, that show his presidential office requested VIP treatment for his daughters and their dogs on a personal trip from Miami airport to Qatar. Fifa denies any wrongdoing.

The emergence of Tashima as candidate next March comes after Telegraph Sport reported last month that secret candidates were being lined up to launch a late campaign against Infantino. One source close to talks in European football confirmed Tashima was on a shortlist of options who could potentially command enough votes to mount a serious challenge.

However, Uefa is not understood to have had any active involvement in pushing Tashima forward. There is some hope within Europe that another contender will also come forward to further damage Infantino’s vote.

Tashima, a former international player who is the Japan FA’s honorary president, is the second challenger to declare in advance of the November 18 deadline after the former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega. It remains doubtful, however, that Vega has the backing of five of Fifa’s 211 member associations, which is required to take a place on the ballot. Vega has previously attempted three times to run for the role.

Who is Kozo Tashima?

Tashima had an unremarkable football career, playing college football and then for Furukawa Electric, making seven appearances for Japan before eventually moving into administration after a spell coaching.

He has had connections with German football since the mid-1980s, having studied at the German Sport University Cologne and received a B-level coaching badge. After coaching the Japan Under-17 national team at their first World Championship in 2001, he became president of the JFA and a member of the Fifa Council just over a decade ago.

Does Tashima have any support?

Tashima can already count on some backing in Asia and Europe. He is all but certain to have the blessing of Uefa, which has been at the forefront of complaint since Infantino’s failed scheme to sell World Cup stakes to private investors.

However, he cannot be sure of backing across Asia. In a setback for those plotting Infantino’s downfall, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president, recently endorsed Infantino, having previously sided with Uefa and Concacaf.

As such, Tashima could split the AFC vote, with further backing within Europe and Concacaf. That picture could change, however, if other candidates emerge.

Can he win?

The odds are against him, and Tashima is already managing expectations, telling the Japanese newspaper Sports Nippon: “I am grateful that I can make this announcement with the full support of the Japan Football Association. It’s not about winning or losing but about conveying to the world the honest, sound and upright attitude that Japanese football has built. What Fifa needs now are these values that we have protected. I have decided to run in order to make this appeal to the world.”

Leading AFC nations including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, as well as swathes of Africa and South America, are likely to result in Infantino easing towards the 106 votes he needs for a fourth term, despite all his controversies in recent years.