Zaccheroni names Japan squad for Kirin Cup

Zaccheroni names Japan squad for Kirin Cup

Published May. 27, 2011 9:32 a.m. ET

Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni has included 11 Europe-based players to his 25-man squad for next week's Kirin Cup.

Inter Milan fullback Yuto Nagatomo and CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda were among the players picked for the three-nation tournament.

Other Europe-based players include Schalke defender Atsuto Uchida and World Cup captain Makoto Hasebe of Wolfsburg.

Japan will play Peru on June 1 and the Czech Republic on June 7. Peru faces the Czech Republic on June 4.

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Kashima Antlers midfielder Daigo Nishi, Kawasaki Frontale midfielder Kosei Shibasaki and Gamba Osaka striker Takashi Usami will make their national team debut.

The friendlies serve as warm-ups for Japan's qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup beginning in September.

The Czechs agreed to play after receiving an assurance in April that the post-earthquake nuclear crisis poses no risk for players.

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Japan:

Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Lierse), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Albirex Niigata), Shusaku Nishikawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima).

Defenders: Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuzo Kurihara (Yokohama F Marinos), Masahiko Inoha (Kashima Antlers), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Tomoaki Makino (Cologne), Michihiro Yasuda (Vitesse Arnhem), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke), Maya Yoshida (VVV Venlo).

Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Kosei Shibasaki (Kawasaki Frontale), Ryota Moriwaki (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg), Akihiro Ienaga (Mallorca), Daigo Nishi (Kashima Antlers).

Forwards: Ryoichi Maeda (Jubilo Iwata), Tadanari Lee (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Kunimitsu Sekiguchi (Vegalta Sendai), Shinjo Okazaki (Stuttgart), Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima Antlers), Takashi Usami (Gamba Osaka).

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