Borussia Dortmund playmaker Shinji Kagawa has been called up, alongside three uncapped players, by Japan coach Javier Aguirre for the upcoming international friendlies against Jamaica and Brazil.
Kagawa, 25, who missed the last international break with concussion, is looking to reignite his career following his summer move from Manchester United and Aguirre admits that he is keen to build his side around the 58-time capped international.
Kashima defender Gen Shoji, Hiroshima defender Tsukasa Shiotani and Kawasaki striker Yu Kobayashi have also been called up by the Mexican coach for the first time as the Blue Samurai prepare for the defence of their Asian Cup title in January.
"The door to the national side is always open. Kagawa is very talented and I want to see him play in the centre of a 4-3-3 formation," Aguirre said.
"We'll have only four matches before the Asian Cup. I want to check as many players as possible and take along the best 23."
Japan are looking to return to form after a disappointing World Cup campaign which saw Alberto Zaccheroni step down from the national post after four years.
Aguirre lost his debut game in charge to Uruguay 2-0 before then drawing 2-2 against Venezuela -- and while a home tie against Jamaica in Niigata on Oct. 10 may not provide the most sternest of tests, the encounter with Brazil in Singapore four days later is likely to prove a more telling examination of Aguirre's early tenure.
"I know it won't be an easy match but we want to overcome adversity," he added.
Milan playmaker Keisuke Honda, Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki and Inter wideman Yuto Nagotomo have also been called up to the 23-man Japan party, while Dutch-born Cordoba striker Mike Havenaar, who missed the trip to Brazil 2014, earns a recall.
Japan will play two further friendlies at home -- against Honduras on Nov. 14 and Australia on Nov. 18 -- before defending their Asian Cup in Australia in January with group matches against Palestine, Iraq and Jordan.
Squad
Goalkeepers -- Eiji Kawashima (Standard Liege/BEL), Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds), Shuichi Gonda (FC Tokyo)
Defenders -- Hiroki Mizumoto (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan/ITA), Kosuke Ota (FC Tokyo), Daigo Nishi (Kashima Antlers), Maya Yoshida (Southampton/ENG), Tsukasa Shiotani (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart/GER), Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers)
Midfielders -- Hajime Hosogai (Hertha Berlin/GER), Masato Morishige (FC Tokyo), Junya Tanaka (Sporting Lisbon/POR), Shinji Kagawa (Dortmund/GER), Ryota Morioka (Vissel Kobe), Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers)
Forwards -- Shinji Okazaki (Mainz/GER), Keisuke Honda (AC Milan/ITA), Mike Havenaar (Cordoba/ESP), Yu Kobayashi (Kawasaki Frontale), Yoichiro Kakitani (Basel/SUI), Yoshinori Muto (FC Tokyo)