The injury bug has again bitten Japan manager Alberto Zaccheroni's team, this time with Southampton defender Maya Yoshida ruled out for the rest of the Premier League season with a right-knee injury on Thursday.

According to Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino, Yoshida damaged a ligament in the knee during training on Tuesday and will not return before the club's last game on May 11, when it hosts Manchester United.

From his first team, Zaccheroni has already seen captain Makoto Hasebe (right knee) and right-back Atsuto Uchida (right thigh) go down. Both players are question marks for the June 12-July 13 World Cup and Yoshida now has joined the list.