Japanese football chiefs said on Thursday they had lodged a formal complaint with the world governing body Fifa and Asian authorities after their players were allegedly targeted by lasers during the 2-1 World Cup qualifying loss to Jordan.
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"We filed a complaint with both Fifa and Asian Football Confederation about it. We are not sure if we will receive any answer from them," said a Japan Football Association (JFA) official.
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JFA president Kuniya Daini told reporters late on Wednesday he had been appalled by the actions of a minority of home fans at the game in Amman on Tuesday, when Jordan shocked the Blue Samurai.
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"I hope such a thing will never happen again," he said.
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"During the break at halftime an announcement was made on the stadium speaker system warning fans not to use laser pointers."
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Goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima and midfielder Yasuhito Endo had the intense light beams – which can cause eye damage – directed at them.
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Endo, who missed a penalty that could have given Japan the draw they needed to book a place at the World Cup finals, insisted he had not been distracted, but said players had been bothered by lasers throughout the game.
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Kawashima said he had been targeted when preparing to defend a corner moments before one of the Jordan goals.
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"I tried not to be distracted, but the lights were shone even when we didn't have the ball," he said.
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But he added: "In World Cup qualifying, we need to win under any circumstances regardless of lasers." Jordanian football chiefs denied the claims.
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"Personally, I am surprised at these accusations," Jordan Football Association vice-president Salah Sabra said Wednesday.
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"We did not hear or notice anything about laser. The Japanese players themselves did not complain during or after the match yesterday."
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No one from Fifa was immediately available for comment.
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Japan's shock defeat scuppered their hopes of sealing qualification at the earliest opportunity for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
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Japan still lead Group B on 13 points, followed by Jordan on seven points, Australia and Oman on six points and Iraq on five points.
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The Blue Samurai, who are aiming to play in their fifth straight World Cup finals, need a only a draw to clinch qualification when they next play, against Australia at home on June 4.