Takeshi Okada has named his 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, with few surprises thrown in by the coach of the Samurai Blue.
Jubilo Iwata goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi was the biggest surprise, with the veteran shot-stopper recalled as Japan's third choice goalkeeper despite missing several months of action through injury.
Kashima Antlers defender Daiki Iwamasa has earned a deserved call up, despite being consistently overlooked by Okada during his two-and-a-half year reign so far.
It's up front where Japan look like light on options, with Nagoya Grampus striker Keiji Tamada, Albirex Niigata front man Kisho Yano and Vissel Kobe misfit Yoshito Okubo somewhat fortunate to hear their names called alongside Shimizu S-Pulse star Shinji Okazaki and up-and-coming Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto.
Morimoto was one of just four European-based players to earn a call-up, joining midfielders Makoto Hasebe of Wolfsburg, ageing Grenoble man Daisuke Matsui and rising star Keisuke Honda from CSKA Moscow.
23-man squad
Goalkeepers—Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale), Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata)
Defenders—Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F. Marinos), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Nagoya Grampus), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Daiki Iwamasa (Kashima Antlers), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo, Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers)
Midfielders—Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F. Marinos), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki Frontale), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble), Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow)
Forwards—Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus), Yoshito Okubo (Vissel Kobe), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata), Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania)
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