Kashima Antlers midfielder Mitsuo Ogasawara, instrumental in the Ibaraki club's treble-winning 2000 season, will not take part in Japan's five-day training camp, which begins Sunday.
The Japan Football Association confirmed Saturday that Ogasawara has been diagnosed with a stomach ulcer which prevented him from being able to train properly with his Kashima teammates at the club's preseason camp in Kyushu.
Ogasawara will be replaced by Kashima forward Tomoyuki Hirase and Nagoya striker Kenji Fukuda for Japan's camp for the March 24 friendly with France in Paris.