Japan confirm World Cup 23Last updated: 10th May 2010
Japan have named their 23-man squad for the World Cup finals, with star names Shunsuke Nakamura and Junichi Inamoto both included. Both Nakamura and Inamoto returned to play in Japan from Europe earlier this season, and that tactic worked as they both did enough to book a place on the flight to South Africa.
Coach Takeshi Okada has named four European-based players in his squad.
Keisuke Honda of CKSA Moscow, Grenoble's Daisuke Matsui and Makoto Hasebe of Wolfsburg and Catania star Takayuki Morimoto have all made it.
One shock inclusion was veteran goalkeeper Yoshi Kawaguchi, who is expected to be number three keeper for the finals.
Japan will now prepare for their first pre-tournament friendly with South Korea on May 24 before heading to Europe for matches with England and Ivory Coast.
Their opening group game is against Cameroon on June 19 in Durban.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale), Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata).
Defenders: Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F-Marinos), Tulio (Nagoya Grampus), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Daiki Iwamasa (Kashima Antlers), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yuto Nagatomo (FC Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers).
Midfielders: Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama F-Marinos), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki Frontale), Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Makoto Hasebe (VfL Wolfsburg), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble).
Forwards: Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus), Yoshito Okubo (Vissel Kobe), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania), Kisho Yano (Albirex Niigata).http://worldcup.sportinglife.com/story/0,27111,15247_6144951,00.html
