Japan coach Jamie Joseph sprung a few surprises Thursday when he named his side for Saturday's test with Romania, the first of three test matches in successive weekends against European opposition.

The former New Zealand and Japan international opted to start a number of senior players on the bench for the game at Egao Kenko Stadium, as Japan look to lay down a marker against a side they could well meet at Rugby World Cup 2019.

"We are falling away in the last 15 minutes of the game with the Sunwolves so we need a strong bench," Joseph said of the decision to leave experienced campaigners such as Keita Inagaki, Hendrik Tui, Yu Tamura and Kotaro Matsushima on the bench.

"We need experience to come on and lead the team in crucial parts of the game. The game is won at the end."

With injury forcing Harumichi Tatekawa to miss the game, Shota Horie leads a side that contains two uncapped players in inside center Derek Carpenter and back-up hooker Yusuke Niwai.

There is no place, however, in the 23-man squad for veteran lock Hitoshi Ono, who remains stranded on 98 caps.

Michael Leitch, Japan's captain at RWC 2015, is recalled following a self-imposed exile and joins Amanaki Lelei Mafi and Yoshitaka Tokunaga in a powerful back row.

The trio will pack down behind Kotaro Yatabe and Uwe Helu, with Horie lining up between Koki Yamamoto and Takuma Asahara in the front row.

"Romania are very strong up front and obviously a lot bigger than us and they will target us there," Joseph said. "We need to stick to our guns and play our way and not take them on at their game."

Fumiaki Tanaka adds some much needed experience at scrumhalf, where he will be partnered by Jumpei Ogura.

Carpenter lines up with Timothy Lafaele in the midfield with Kenki Fukuoka, Akihito Yamada and Ryuji Noguchi forming an exciting back three.

With the elements expected to play a role, Joseph has plenty of experience to call upon on the bench as the players tire.

Inagaki and Heiichiro Ito join Niwai as the back-up front rowers, with Yuya Odo and Tui -- who like Leitch makes a welcome return to national team duty -- the other reserve forwards.

Keisuke Uchida, Tamura and Matsushima provide 85 caps worth of experience as the replacement backs.

"Later on in the game both teams will be tired and we need players who can exploit space and opportunities," Joseph said. "And Tamura and Matsushima are those types of guys."

The two sides have met five times in the past with Japan winning four games and Romania, who beat Georgia earlier this year to win the Rugby Europe Championship, triumphant in Bucharest in 2004.

With Georgia having already qualified for RWC 2019 by virtue of a third-place finish in their pool at the 2015 tournament, Romania are expected to be the top European qualifier and join Japan in Pool A along with Ireland (who the Brave Blossoms play on June 17 and 24), Scotland and the winner of the Europe/Oceania playoff.