Tokyo: Alberto Zaccheroni has picked AC Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda among 12 Europe-based players in Japan's 23-man World Cup squad.
Honda has scored just one goal since joining Milan from CSKA Moscow in January but played a key role in Japan's qualifying campaign.
Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa and Mainz forward Shinji Okazaki were also included in the squad Zaccheroni unveiled at a news conference Monday.
Joining them was veteran forward Yoshito Okubo, who played for Japan in South Africa four years ago and has scored eight goals this season for J-League club Kawasaki Frontale.
Japan, which co-hosted the World Cup with South Korea in 2002, is preparing for its fifth consecutive World Cup campaign and faces Ivory Coast, Greece and Colombia in Group C.
