Javier Aguirre will manage Japan at the Asian Cup in January despite being named as a defendant in a match-fixing case filed by Spanish prosecutors earlier this week, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Thursday.

Aguirre was on Monday named as one of 41 defendants in a case that followed an investigation into a 2011 Spanish League match that saw Real Zaragoza — at the time managed by Aguirre — beat Levante 2-1 on the final day of the season to avoid relegation from the first division.

Anti-corruption prosecutors allege that Zaragoza made bank transfers to its own players and officials, who then withdrew the money, totaling $1.2 million, and gave it to Levante’s players as payment for throwing the match.

The filing of the case has unleashed a wave of pressure on the JFA to fire Aguirre before the Asian Cup kicks off in Australia next month, but secretary general Hiromi Hara on Thursday said there were no plans to remove the Mexican before Japan begins the defense of its title against Palestine on Jan. 12.

“As things stand, we are not thinking about the ifs and buts of what to do with Aguirre,” Hara said at the JFA’s headquarters in Tokyo. “President (Kuniya) Daini has said that Aguirre will lead us to the Asian Cup.

“I understand that people feel uneasy, but it must be understood that there are differences between the legal system in Spain and Japan. He’s not a suspect yet. They will look at the case and decide whether to proceed with it. That’s something that I would like people to understand.”

The investigating judge overseeing the case in Valencia will now decide whether to go ahead with the prosecution. If found guilty, the defendants — who also include Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and Atletico Madrid captain Gabi — could face prison sentences of up to four years and playing bans of up to six years.

Aguirre has repeatedly denied any involvement with the claims, and Hara warned against jumping to conclusions.

“The most important thing for us to do is get an understanding of how the process works,” he said. “If the case is accepted, what happens next? What effect will it have?

“We are collecting a lot of information and that’s the most important thing for us to do. Not to think about the worst-case scenario but to get the correct information and knowledge.”

The allegations first appeared in the Spanish press in October, two months after the JFA had hired Aguirre to replace Italian predecessor Alberto Zaccheroni.

The JFA has come under fire for its perceived slow reaction to the unfolding developments, but Hara believes it would have been irresponsible to discuss the situation without a thorough understanding.

“This was first reported in October, but amid all that we didn’t know what was true and what wasn’t,” he said. “This is not something that you can just react instantly to. You have to collect a lot of information before you can make a decision. I know we’ve been criticized for not reacting quicker, but you have to make sure you have the correct information. You have to act with caution.”

Aguirre vowed not to let the allegations cast a shadow over the Asian Cup campaign when he named his 23-man squad on Monday, just hours before prosecutors filed their case in Spain.

The manager has not made any public statement since, but Hara believes caution is the best way to proceed.

“It’s a delicate situation,” Hara said. “We need to make sure the timing is right before he says something. He wants to say something but we have to think about when it is appropriate and talk with the lawyer in Spain. If he appears in front of the media, then it becomes a big event. But he’s not running away from anything.”