The Philippines’ reigning club football champions have taken on a distinctly Japanese influence as they seek to make an impact in Asia. Kaya FC-Iloilo, helmed by Japanese manager Yu Hoshide, are this season among the teams contesting the ACL2, the newly formed second tier of the Asian Champions League. They lost 3-0 away to the J-League’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their opening ACL2 match on Sept. 19, but defender Akito Saito, one of four Japanese players in the Kaya squad, was upbeat about the prospects for both the club and for football in the Philippines. “The facilities aren’t as good as in J…