Veteran goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and striker Kisho Yano were the biggest surprises in an otherwise familiar selection as national team manager Takeshi Okada named his squad for the World Cup on Monday.
Shinji Ono, who many had tipped to make a late run into the 23-man roster, did not make the cut, while Sota Hirayama, Naohiro Ishikawa, Shinji Kagawa and Mitsuo Ogasawara were also among those omitted.
Kawaguchi has been a member of every squad since Japan first qualified for the world's top tournament in 1998, but he has not appeared for his club side, Jubilo Iwata, since breaking his leg in September last year.