Kyodo News Japan will play friendlies against Argentina, England and the Czech Republic -- three teams belonging to the latest top 10 list released by FIFA -- this season, according to the 2004 schedule announced by the JFA on Friday.
The Japanese national team will face Argentina, sixth in the FIFA rankings, on Aug. 18 in Shizuoka after a match against the Czech Republic (No. 8) in Prague on April 28 and against England (No. 7) in Manchester on June 1.
Japan will also host a match against Slovakia on July 9 at Hiroshima and against Serbia and Montenegro four days later in Yokohama ahead of the Asia Cup to be held in China in late July and early August.