Japan coach Takeshi Okada on Monday named Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura among a European-based midfield trio for next week's friendly against the United Arab Emirates and a World Cup qualifier at home to Uzbekistan on Oct. 15.
Okada also picked Eintracht Frankfurt's Junichi Inamoto and Wolfsburg's Makoto Hasebe in a 26-man squad, while welcoming back Vissel Kobe striker Yoshito Okubo following a two-match suspension.
Beijing Olympians Masato Morishige (Oita Trinita) and Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse) were handed their first callups to the senior national team, as were Shinzo Koroki (Kashima Antlers) and Yasuhito Morishima (Oita).