Former women's world champion Nadeshiko Japan will play Costa Rica in a friendly in Kumamoto on April 9, the Japan Football Association said Tuesday.
The match at Yonaka Stadium will be the first home game for Nadeshiko coach Takako Asakura, who took over from Norio Sasaki after the team failed to qualify for last summer's Rio Olympics.
It also serves as a benefit match for Kumamoto and the surrounding areas that were hit by a series of strong earthquakes last April.
The disaster directly killed 50 people, flattening homes and forcing people to take refuge in shelters.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.