Japan will play Nigeria in a home friendly on Aug. 20 at Tokyo's National Stadium, the Japan Football Association said Wednesday.
Japan was set to face Nigeria in the Kirin Cup earlier this month but the Africans pulled out after the Nigerian government in May forbade the team to travel to Japan because of concerns about the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).
Paraguay, which was initially to meet Japan in the August friendly, replaced Nigeria in the June 11 Kirin Cup fixture in Saitama, which ended in a 0-0 draw.