For a long time Japan's No. 1 option at center-back, veteran Southampton defender Maya Yoshida has also been the first choice among English-speaking foreign journalists seeking a post-game quote from a member of the Samurai Blue squad.

But he could soon face a threat on both fronts from up-and-coming central defender Takehiro Tomiyasu, who has been busy sharpening both his English skills and his football flare at Belgian first-division side Sint-Truiden.

(Takehiro Tomiyasu, left, is pictured at a Japan national team training session on March 25, 2018 with Hotaru Yamaguchi, center, and Sei Muroya.)

The 20-year-old, who gave an impressive display at the recent Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, returned to Belgium this week after joining the Japan squad for a pair of friendlies on home soil.

Though Sint-Truiden is based in the Flemish-speaking province of Limburg, English is the primary language on the pitch and in the dressing room among the club's multicultural squad.

"On the field, (speaking English) is easy. It's just 'right,' 'left,' 'player coming,'" Tomiyasu said following Japan's 1-0 loss to Colombia in Yokohama last Friday.

Despite conceding the second-half penalty that led to Radamel Falcao's winner at Nissan Stadium, Tomiyasu was solid after starting in a central defensive pairing alongside Toulouse's Gen Shoji.

The penalty kick was awarded after a shot by Colombian substitute Duvan Zapata struck Tomiyasu's elbow from behind at point-blank range. Asked whether the referee made the right call, the defender simply smiled and shrugged.

With manager Hajime Moriyasu testing varied lineups ahead of Japan's guest appearance at the Copa America in Brazil from June, Tomiyasu sat out the Samurai Blue's 1-0 win Tuesday over Bolivia at Noevir Stadium Kobe.

Though he may be some way off attaining the English level of Yoshida, who is near fluent after seven years in the Premier League, Tomiyasu is enthusiastic about learning and speaking the language.

Sint-Truiden is owned by Japanese company DMM.com, an e-commerce firm that once specialized in adult entertainment but now trades in a vast range of goods and services including online English conversation classes.

Tomiyasu has been availing himself of the classes, conversing one-on-one with a tutor via Skype.

"I do one class each week, (for) one-and-a-half hours," he said. "But I need to do more."

"I'm learning a lot from my teammates. Also, the coach is speaking to us in English."

The Fukuoka native, who came through the junior ranks of now-J2 Avispa Fukuoka before joining Sint-Truiden in early 2018, is firmly on the radar of bigger clubs after the Asian Cup, in which Japan fell to Qatar in the final.

He scored his maiden international goal from a set-piece to secure a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia in the round of 16, demonstrating a well-rounded skill-set that also allows him to be deployed in midfield.

But Tomiyasu is adamant about where he does his best work.

"I want to play central defense. If the coach says play defensive midfield, I'll play it. But I'm a central defender," he said.

"I like to score. (But) I want to make clean sheets first because I am a central defender."

Sint-Truiden will be hoping he can contribute to more clean sheets as the club begins the end-of-season tournament this weekend, playing for a shot at a Europa League spot, after narrowly missing out on the Belgian championship playoffs.

Should Sint-Truiden secure a spot at the continental tournament, the number of clubs with Tomiyasu on their shopping lists will likely grow even further.