Japan coach Asako Takakura has named her 23-player squad for the 2019 Women’s World Cup, with the 2011 winners and 2015 runners-up looking to become the first ever country to reach three consecutive finals at the tournament.
Defensive trio Saki Kumagai, Aya Sameshima and Rumi Utsugi are notable survivors from the victorious 2011 squad, with well over 300 international appearances between them.
But this is largely a relatively young Japan squad, with 14 of the 23 called up aged 23 or younger, while only eight members of the group have 40 or more senior caps to their name.
| 23-Player Japan Squad for 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup: |
| Goalkeepers: Sakiko Ikeda (Urawa Red Diamonds), Ayaka Yamashita (Nippon TV Beleza), Chika Hirao (Albirex Niigata) |
| Defenders: Aya Sameshima (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Rumi Utsugi (Reign FC), Saki Kumagai (Lyon), Shiori Miyake (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Risa Shimizu (Nippon TV Beleza), Nana Ichise (Mynavi Vegalta Sendai), Asato Miyagawa (Nippon TV Beleza), Moeka Minami (Urawa Red Diamonds) |
| Midfielders: Mizuho Sakaguchi (Nippon TV Beleza), Emi Nakajima (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Yuka Momiki (Nippon TV Beleza), Yui Hasegawa (Nippon TV Beleza), Hina Sugita (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Narumi Miura (Nippon TV Beleza) |
| Forwards: Yuika Sugasawa (Urawa Red Diamonds), Mana Iwabuchi (INAC Kobe Leonessa), Kumi Yokoyama (AC Nagano Parceiro), Rikako Kobayashi (Nippon TV Beleza), Riko Ueki (Nippon TV Beleza), Jun Endo (Nippon TV Beleza) |
Japan are due to travel to France later this month to set up camp and will play a final warm up friendly against Spain in Le Touquet on 2 June. Their World Cup campaign will then begin for real eight days later against Argentina, with further games against Scotland and England.
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