Japan Football Association vice-president Takeshi Okada has stepped down from his position citing this year’s controversy surrounding the World Cup, one week after the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) endorsed Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

Infantino appeared at the Asian football governing body’s extraordinary congress meeting in Tokyo last Friday, embracing AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa with a large hug in front of the membership as he delivered his endorsement for the Fifa president’s re-election.

This marked an apparent turnaround in the AFC’s stance from two months ago when it criticised the Swiss-Italian for a “fundamental breach of trust” over his botched attempt to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors.

Japan’s federation chief Tsuneyasu Miyamoto hinted that AFC members may not share the same position after the confederation’s Infantino U-turn, and now Okada - Japan’s former head coach - has taken the decision to leave his post.

"Guided by my belief that sports should embody integrity, I have always valued their ‌social significance," Okada said in a ‌statement on the JFA website.

"However, the series of actions surrounding this year's Fifa World Cup represent a significant divergence from my personal convictions. As a sportsman, I cannot accept this, which has led me to make this decision."

Last summer’s World Cup was also marred by a scandal surrounding United States striker Folarin Balogun, who saw his red card wiped after Infantino received a request from US president Donald Trump to “review” the decision.

Infantino, who has been Fifa president since 2016, is standing for re-election in March 2027 having apologised for his aborted private investment scheme. Asian support could prove vital to his campaign.

"Given the relationship with the Asian Football Confederation and the impact on Japanese soccer, I understand that there are practical reasons for aligning with the AFC's stance," Okada said.

Okada managed Japan at the 1998 and 2010 World Cups, taking them to the last 16 in South Africa.

His apparent non-complicity with an Infantino re-election is another sign of fractures within the Asian federation bloc regarding their collective stance, with Jordan so far the only FA to publicly oppose the current Fifa president.

Jordan FA president Prince Ali bin Hussein publicly attack Infantino in August, levelling accusations of blackmail against Fifa.

He alleged the organisation offered assistance with the kingdom's issues in exchange for his endorsement, following Infantino's withdrawal from a World Cup stake sale proposal. Among the problems cited was the association's eight-month wait for prize money, due since December for reaching the Arab Cup final in Qatar.

After taking to X to reveal the outstanding payments, the Jordan FA received the prize money two days later - but Prince Ali has not changed his stance over not endorsing Infantino, stating he hijacked the AFC Congress for his own political ends.

After the congress, Prince Ali claimed no one was allowed to speak, question, debate or talk to media, describing the final day as "pure politics".

The AFC responded by dismissing any “unsupported and entirely unsubstantiated allegations of coercion, threats or bribery” from Prince Ali, referring him to its judicial bodies.