Gamba Osaka goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi has pulled out of Japan's squad for its upcoming World Cup qualifiers away to Singapore and Cambodia due to injury, the Japan Football Association said on Saturday.
Higashiguchi hurt his right knee in Gamba's 2-0 defeat at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the J. League the same day and had to be substituted in the 59th minute.
Vegalta Sendai goalkeeper Yuji Rokutan will take Higashiguchi's place in the Japan squad, the JFA said.
Japan takes on Singapore on Nov. 12 and before playing Cambodia in Phnom Penh five days later.