31-Player Japan Squad Named for KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2026 and KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2026; J.League Pair Tanimura and Nakano Earn First Call-Ups [Japan National Team]

The Japan Football Association announced on 17 September a 31-player Japan National Team squad for the KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2026 and KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2026.

Five J.League players were selected: Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers), Yuki Soma (FC Machida Zelvia), Kaina Tanimura (Yokohama F. Marinos), Shuto Nakano (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) and Koki Kumasaka (Kashiwa Reysol). Tanimura and Nakano have received their first call-ups to SAMURAI BLUE.

Japan will face Uruguay on 24 September and Venezuela on 28 September in the KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP 2026, before taking on Ecuador on 1 October and either Panama or New Zealand on 5 October in the KIRIN CUP SOCCER 2026.

The 31-player squad is as follows.

■ GK
Tomoki Hayakawa (Kashima Antlers)
Leo Brian Kokubo (Sint-Truidense VV/Belgium)
Zion Suzuki (Aston Villa FC/England)

■ DF
Kou Itakura (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany)
Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord/Netherlands)
Takehiro Tomiyasu (Crystal Palace FC/England)
Tomoya Ando (FC St. Pauli/Germany)
Hiroki Ito (FC Bayern Munich/Germany)
Ayumu Seko (Le Havre AC/France)
Junnosuke Suzuki (FC Copenhagen/Denmark)

■ MF/FW
Junya Ito (KRC Genk/Belgium)
Daichi Kamada (Crystal Palace FC/England)
Yuki Soma (FC Machida Zelvia)
Daizen Maeda (Ipswich Town FC/England)
Kaina Tanimura (Yokohama F. Marinos)*
Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany)
Ayase Ueda (LOSC Lille/France)
Ao Tanaka (Leeds United FC/England)
Shuto Nakano (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)*
Keito Nakamura (Olympique Lyonnais/France)
Kaishu Sano (1.FSV Mainz 05/Germany)
Koki Kumasaka (Kashiwa Reysol)
Takefusa Kubo (Real Sociedad/Spain)
Yuito Suzuki (SC Freiburg/Germany)
Satoshi Tanaka (FC Schalke 04/Germany)
Kuryu Matsuki (Southampton FC/England)*
Kodai Sano (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands)
Kento Shiogai (VfL Wolfsburg/Germany)
Shunsuke Saito (KVC Westerlo/Belgium)*
Keisuke Goto (SC Freiburg/Germany)
Ryunosuke Sato (Valencia CF/Spain)

*first call-up to SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team).