Ivica Osim named Japan's provisional squad for the Asian Cup finals at JFA House on Monday evening, and the national team coach couldn't find room in his 30-strong list for Europe-based players Koji Nakata and Junichi Inamoto.
Celtic playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara were the only two overseas-based players to be called up for the July 7-29 finals in Southeast Asia, where defending champion Japan will be looking for its third straight continental crown.
Osim is expected to trim his squad down to 23 players before Japan departs for Vietnam on July 4. The Boys in Blue's first game is against Qatar in Hanoi on July 9.