Tokyo, May 21: Bologna midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata has been left off Japan's squad for a friendly against England next month and may also miss the World Cup qualifier against India, Japanese soccer officials said today.
Japan will face England at the City of Manchester Stadium on June 1.
Nakata, who is nursing a sore groin, will also not be available for Japan's next 2006 World Cup qualifier against India at home on June 9.
"We want him to recover as soon as possible and have left him off the squad for this reason,'' said Japan's Brazilian coach Zico.
Japan's other major Europe-based stars, including Shinji Ono of Feyenoord, Naohiro Takahara of Hamburg and Shunsuke Nakamura of Reggina, will be making the trip to England.



The squad: Goalkeepers: Yoichi Doi, Seigo Narazaki, Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi.



Defenders: Atsuhiro Miura, Makoto Tanaka, Takayuki Chano, Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, Alessando Santos, Keisuke Tsuboi, Yuji Nakazawa, Akira Kaji.



Midfielders: Toshiya Fujita, Takashi Fukunishi, Norihiro Nishi, Shunsuke Nakamura, Mitsuo Ogasawara, Junichi Inamoto, Shinji Ono, Yasuhito Endo.



Forwards: Atsushi Yanagisawa, Naohiro Takahara, Tatsuhiko Kubo, Masashi Motoyama, Keiji Tamada, Takayuki Suzuki.


Bureau Report