Japan coach Takeshi Okada will call up European-based midfielders Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto and Makoto Hasebe for next month's World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan, Japan Football Association officials said Wednesday.
The JFA has sent written notices to the three players, who the association hopes will join the national squad prior to the Oct. 9 friendly against the United Arab Emirates in Niigata in a warm-up for the Uzbekistan clash in Saitama on Oct. 15.
Saint Etienne midfielder Daisuke Matsui will be suspended and left out of the Japan party for the Group 1 match, JFA officials said.
Celtic playmaker Nakamura, Inamoto of Eintracht Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg's Hasebe were all called up for Japan's opening match in the final round of Asian qualifiers away at Bahrain, which Japan won 3-2.
Qatar lead the early group standings with four points from two matches, ahead of Japan who have three points from one match. Uzbekistan are without a point after losing two in a row.
The top two teams from each of two five-team groups will automatically qualify for the 2010 tournament in South Africa.