Mainz striker Yoshinori Muto is hoping to get a chance to impress Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic as competition for places in next year's World Cup squad starts to intensify with Friday's home friendly with New Zealand.
Pachuca attacker Keisuke Honda and Leicester City striker Shinji Okazaki have not been called up to the squad for thematch in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, and next Wednesday's meeting with Haiti in Yokohama.
And with Hertha Berlin's Genki Haraguchi nursing a sore left thigh, Muto looks set to play on the left side of attack against the All Whites.