Japan coach Philippe Troussier will check the state of his team's World Cup preparations Nov. 7 in a friendly against European powerhouse Italy at Saitama Stadium, a venue in which Japan will play its first World Cup game on June 4 next year.

Troussier on Tuesday called up six of his seven overseas-based players, including goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, who joined English Division One side Portsmouth 10 days ago, as well as Parma midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata, who skipped Japan's European tour earlier this month due to an ankle injury. Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno midfielder Nozomi Hiroyama didn't get the call.

Five players, including Cerezo Osaka midfielder Hiroaki Morishima, Yokohama F. Marinos midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura and Jubilo Iwata veteran striker Masashi Nakayama, have returned to the squad after being excluded from Japan for the European tour earlier this month. Joining them are familiar faces like defenders Ryuzo Morioka of Shimizu S-Pulse and Toshihiro Hattori of Jubilo and Antlers striker Atsushi Yanagisawa.

"This game will be important for us in the final stage of our preparations. We will check the maturity of our preparations and see if our direction is right," Troussier said in French.

"I want our players to show responsibility as national team players, what they have done with us over the last three years, their ambition (for the World Cup) and good judgment in the game. If they can't show this, I'm afraid we have to leave them behind."

The French boss also noted that 85 percent of this 22-member squad will form the World Cup team.

Asked about Nakata, who has appeared to struggle in recent Italian League games, Troussier stressed that he has called on Nakata as an important part of his squad, saying: "I've called up our players as a unit and we are preparing as a unit.

"Since we are playing against Italy on our home soil, it should be an evenly balanced match. Our confidence is growing. I think we can show our attacking abilities," Troussier stated.

The Japanese squad will get together Nov. 5 to prepare for the Italy game. The game will kick off at 7:20 p.m.

Too late for Alex?

Time is running out and it may be too late for Shimizu S-Pulse midfielder Alex to attain Japanese citizenship and join the Japan national team in time for next year's World Cup, coach Philippe Troussier said Tuesday in Tokyo.

Troussier said he had hoped to see Alex in the upcoming friendly against Italy if the 24-year-old left winger was available. But Brazilian player Alex has long been waiting for the nod from the Japanese government.

"This may be too late. Even if he becomes available two to three months prior to the World Cup, we won't have enough time to blend him into our squad," Troussier said.

"Another player will be omitted with his arrival. But we've been working on our preparations through a long process. We can't give him the privilege. I wanted to see him, but he has to clear naturalization first."