Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu insisted Friday there was "agreement" over Junya Ito's departure from the Asian Cup after allegations of sexual assault, despite the winger's team-mates calling for him to stay.

Ito, who denies the accusation, will leave the squad in Qatar after Japan's football association president said they wanted to protect the team from "noise" and "provide an environment where they can concentrate on football".

Japan face Iran in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

Ito's departure follows media reports that two women have accused him of sexual assault in an alleged incident in Osaka last year.

Japanese police have launched an investigation into the 30-year-old, who plays for French club Reims. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The JFA said on Thursday that Ito would leave the squad but said later the same day that they had put the decision on hold ahead of further talks.

JFA president Kozo Tashima said that "the players strongly wanted him to stay and play on with them".

Tashima said on Friday that Ito would leave after all and Moriyasu said he was "disappointed" but accepted the situation.

"Taking the players' will into account, the JFA have decided he will leave and we are in agreement, so he will not be able to play with us in tomorrow's game," Moriyasu said on the eve of the Iran match.

The coach said that Ito was "not in the right frame of mind" to play.

"He is a player who has contributed a lot to the team so it is painful and disappointing but I want to think of his health," said Moriyasu.

Ito has played 54 games for Japan, scoring 13 goals.

He was named in Moriyasu's match-day squad for their last-16 game on Wednesday against Bahrain but was an unused substitute in a 3-1 win.

Ito has denied any wrongdoing, Kyodo news agency reported, quoting his lawyer as saying the claims were "totally unfounded".

While Ito did spend time with the two women, their accounts are inconsistent and there is no physical evidence supporting their allegations, Kyodo quoted the unnamed lawyer as saying.

- Iran 'look ready' -

Moriyasu is confident his side will deal with Ito's absence.

"The way I put this team together, losing one player does not mean that it stops being able to function," he said.

"The players who are still here are excellent and I have no worries about them when they face Iran."

Japan and Iran have both had only three days to prepare for the game, although Iran had to go to extra time and penalties to see off Syria in the last 16.

Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand said they were ready "to make history".

"It's not easy to play Japan after 139 minutes against Syria," he said.

"But the most important thing is how we can recover mentally, and I saw my team-mates today and they look ready."