The Japan national soccer team will host Honduras and Slovakia in the Kirin Cup on April 29 (4 p.m. kickoff) at Tokyo's National Stadium and May 2 (7:20 p.m. kickoff) at Kobe Wing Stadium, respectively, the Japan Football Association announced Thursday in Tokyo.
The annual three-nation tournament is part of Japan's series of eight friendlies arranged as a way of preparing for the World Cup. Japan will also visit Norway on May 14 and host Sweden on May 25 in a night game, at the National Stadium.
The other teams that Japan will play are: Ukraine on March 21 (6 p.m. kickoff) at Osaka's Nagai Stadium, Poland some time from March 23-29 in Lodz, Poland, and Costa Rica on April 17 (7:20 p.m. kickoff) at Yokohama International Stadium as well as Real Madrid on May 7 away in Madrid.
"The five opponents we'll play at home contain all the characteristics of our World Cup opponents," said Japan coach Philippe Troussier, whose team will play Belgium, Russia and Tunisia in the World Cup first round.
"I want each of our players to be aware that 'I am the one to be picked for the (World Cup) squad'. We need our players to be at their peak for the World Cup," the Frenchman noted.
The Japanese team will start its first training session on Monday in Kagoshima, which features 40 players excluding the overseas-based players.