There is nothing particularly noteworthy about the past games Japan played against strong opposition like Spain and Germany. The only intriguing quality is the determination to get through the group stage. A well-built and cohesive team will make for a challenging match. Croatia is a very strong defensive team, so I predict a draw in the game. Croatia will triumph on penalties.
Japan had a group stage that exceeded expectations. It was great that they passed Spain and Germany and became the leader. They can repeat this success against Croatia. I saw Turkey so successful in the 2002 world cup, but we were lucky in some matches there. It is clear that this year may also be the year of Japan. I'm not sure if they can go further.