The Japan Football Association on Thursday announced the Samurai Blue’s squad of 24 players for their upcoming Kirin Challenge Cup matches against New Zealand and Haiti.

11 J.League players were selected for the pair of international friendlies, including Kashiwa Reysol goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura and Urawa Reds midfielder Wataru Endo. 

Kawasaki Frontale defender Shintaro Kurumaya was also handed his first call-up.

Japan will play New Zealand on October 6 at Toyota Stadium before welcoming Haiti to International Stadium Yokohama (Nissan Stadium) on October 10.

Below is the Samurai Blue squad for the October 2017 Kirin Challenge Cup:

GK:
Eiji Kawashima (FC Metz / France)
Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka)
Kosuke Nakamura (Kashiwa Reysol)

DF:
Hiroki Sakai (Marseille / France)
Gotoku Sakai (Hamburger SV / Germany)
Yuto Nagatomo (Inter / Italy)
Shintaro Kurumaya (Kawasaki Frontale)
Maya Yoshida (Southampton / England)
Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers)
Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds)
Naomichi Ueda (Kashima Antlers)

MF:
Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka)
Yosuke Ideguchi (Gamba Osaka)
Wataru Endo (Urawa Reds)
Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund / Germany)
Shu Kurata (Gamba Osaka)
Yuki Kobayashi (Heerenveen / Netherlands)

FW:
Yuya Kubo (Gent / Belgium)
Takuma Asano (Stuttgart / Germany)
Takashi Inui (Eibar / Spain)
Genki Haraguchi (Hertha Berlin / Germany)
Yuya Osako (Koln / Germany)
Kenyu Sugimoto (Cerezo Osaka)
Yoshinori Muto (Mainz / Germany)