The Japan Ice Hockey Federation on Tuesday named the 25-man squad for the upcoming World Championship in the Czech Republic, which includes Canadian-born forward Chris Bright.
The team will be guided by German coach Mark Mahone of the Nikko Ice Bucks in the April 24-May 9 tournament and will aim to finish among the top 14 as the last two teams will be demoted to a lower division under a new rule.
Bright, one of 11 Kokudo players named to the squad, took part in the 1995 World Championship as a member of the Canadian national team but became eligible to play for Japan after obtaining Japanese citizenship last year.