Having been instrumental in Kashiwa Reysol's surge to the top of the J. League on an eight-game win streak, goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura has earned his first Japan call-up for Wednesday's friendly against Syria and the World Cup qualifier away to Iraq next week.
The 22-year-old went through his first training session with the national side on Monday at Ajinomoto Stadium, where the studious custodian took in as much as he could from two-time World Cup keeper Eiji Kawashima and No. 2 Masaaki Higashiguchi of Gamba Osaka.
"Both Kawashima and Higashiguchi are excellent shot-stoppers, but I hope I can keep up with them," Nakamura said. "I learn a lot from them. I don't get to work with them on an everyday basis, so it was nice just having the opportunity to be around them.