Former Japan head coach Vahid Halilhodzic filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Japan Football Association, claiming it defamed him after he was sacked just two months before the World Cup finals.

In the suit filed with the Tokyo District Court, Halilhodzic demanded a public apology and 1 yen (less than 1 cent) in compensation, saying the JFA damaged his reputation and gave a negative impression of his personality when it abruptly fired him on April 7.

Lawsuits for symbolic damages are often filed in the United States and Europe to emphasize that plaintiffs are not seeking financial gain.

Two days after the association sacked the 66-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina, JFA Chairman Kozo Tashima said at a press conference that Halilhodzic was fired because he lacked communication skills and did not have the confidence of team members.

In the defamation complaint, the former Japan head coach said Tashima's remarks implied that there was a problem with his character. Halilhodzic also claimed that his reputation as a soccer coach was seriously damaged.

(Halilhodzic said in Tokyo on April 27 that his dismissal came out of the blue and should have been avoided by the Japan Football Association.)

In a statement Thursday through his lawyer Ayano Kanezuka, Halilhodzic said the association not only trampled on his honor but also dismissed his efforts to work with the players.

"He has been left in tremendous shock. It is not money that he is seeking but a sincere apology," Kanezuka told reporters after filing the lawsuit, adding her client wants to clarify the reason and process for the firing.

The association said Halilhodzic's reputation had not been damaged and there were no problems in the process for terminating his contract.

Halilhodzic took the job in March 2015 and guided the Samurai Blue to 21 wins, nine draws and eight losses, including friendlies. But pressure mounted after the team could only manage a 1-1 draw with Mali and a 2-1 loss to Ukraine in Belgium in March, with neither opponent bound for Russia.

The JFA has appointed former technical director Akira Nishino as Halilhodzic's successor until the end of the World Cup finals, which will start next month in Russia.