Japan’s squad for its upcoming 2018 world Cup qualifier was released by the Japan Football Association on Thurday.

12 current J.League are amongst the 23 called up by Samurai Blue coach Vahid Halilhodzic who will aim to snatch leadership of Group E from next opponents Syria.

The team will face their rivals in Oman, before traveling to Tehran for a friendly with AFC giants Iran.

Former Cerezo Osaka talent Takumi Minamino has received his maiden call-up following his excellent performances in the Austrian Bundesliga with Red Bull Salzburg.

Japan’s squad is as follows:

GK

Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka)
Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds)
Yuji Rokutan (Vegalta Sendai)

DF

Daiki Niwa (Gamba Osaka)
Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan / Italy)
Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds)
Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo)
Koki Yonekura (Gamba Osaka)
Maya Yoshida (Southampton / England)
Tsukasa Shiotani (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
Gotoku Sakai (Hamburg / Germany)

MF

Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt / Germany)
Yosuke Kashiwagi (Urawa Reds)
Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund / Germany)
Hiroshi Kiyotake (Hannover / Germany)
Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka)
Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers)

FW

Shinji Okazaki (Leicester City / England)
Keisuke Honda (AC Milan / Italy)
Genki Haraguchi (Hertha Berlin / Germany)
Takashi Usami (Gamba Osaka)
Yoshinori Muto (Mainz / Germany)
Takumi Minamino (Red Bull Salzburg / Austria)