Japan coach Ivica Osim on Saturday added five more new faces the squad for his first match in charge of the national team against Trinidad and Tobago in Tokyo next week.
Osim, who named a provisional squad of just 13 players for Wednesday's friendly with fellow World Cup finalists Trinidad on Friday, bumped the squad up to 18 with the inclusion of uncapped Nagoya Grampus Eight midfielder Naoshi Nakamura and Yokohama F. Marinos striker Daisuke Sakata.
Sakata's club teammates defender Yuzo Kurihara and Koji Yamase were also picked for national team duty for the first time as was Urawa Reds midfielder Keita Suzuki, who failed to make the cut for Japan's Athens Olympic squad two years ago.
Ex- Yugoslavia coach Osim, who last month signed a one-year contract to replace Brazilian coach Zico, has been unable to pick many first-team regulars because of club commitments. Japan also faces Yemen in an Asian Cup qualifier in Niigata on Aug. 16.