Bundesliga-bound midfielder Shinji Kagawa and three other future prospects will travel to South Africa to train with Japan's World Cup squad, the Japan Football Association said Monday.
Kagawa, who has already been named among seven reserves for the World Cup, will be joined by 19-year-old Albirex Niigata defender Gotoku Sakai, Ryutsu Keizai University midfielder Kazuya Yamamura, 20, and Fukuoka University striker Kensuke Nagai, 21.
"These players will bear the shape of Japan's future and the JFA technical committee has taken the initiative and picked them to give them experience (of being at a World Cup)," national team manager Takeshi Okada said.
The four players will join the squad from Friday and will be with the Blue Samurai until they are knocked out of the World Cup.