The two veteran receivers who starred in Saturday's exhibition game against Germany are out, and a couple new faces are in as the Japan national team prepares to face the Philippines on April 26 in the Asian qualifying game for the 2015 world championship, the Japan American Football Association announced on Wednesday on its official website.
Lixil Deers wide receiver Naoki Maeda, who caught a team-high seven passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns and was named the MVP of Japan's 38-0 rout of Germany at Kawasaki Fujimi Stadium, has been removed from the 45-man roster and so has Obic Seagulls receiver Ryoma Hagiyama, who had 14- and 72-yard touchdown receptions against the Germans.
They are being replaced by Fujitsu Frontiers receivers Takeshi Akiyama and Junpei Yoshimoto.