Japan will begin the World Cup year with a weeklong training camp in Miyazaki next month ahead of two friendlies against the United States and Finland.
Japan coach Zico is set to name a domestic-based group of players for the Jan. 29-Feb. 4 get-together in the southwestern Japanese resort before the Asian champions head to San Francisco to play the United States on Feb. 10. Zico's men then return to Japan for another friendly match against Finland at home on Feb. 18.
Japan starts its 2007 Asian Cup campaign as top seeds with a qualifier at home on Feb. 22, followed by an away game on March 1. Japan, which beat China last year to claim its second Asian Cup in a row, is among six seeds in the Jan. 4 qualifying draw for the event to be played in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand.