Japan have been drawn with two-time defending champions Chile, Uruguay and Ecuador in Group C for this year's Copa America in Brazil, the South American Football Confederation announced Thursday.

Japan, currently 50th in the FIFA world rankings, will open their campaign against No. 13 Chile on June 17. Hajime Moriyasu's squad will face No. 7 Uruguay on June 20 before playing their final group-stage match against 57th-ranked Ecuador four days later.

Uruguay, winners of a record 15 Copa America titles, will be out for revenge following a 4-3 loss to Japan in a friendly last October in Saitama.

(Yuya Osako puts Japan 2-1 ahead against Uruguay in their friendly in Saitama in September 2018)

Japan will be making their second appearance at the South American continental tournament as an invited nation. Qatar, hosts of the 2022 World Cup, have also been invited to the June 14 to July 7 tournament.

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The Japan Football Association said in December it will send a full-strength senior squad to the tournament, despite initially considering sending an under-23 squad in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The Samurai Blue contested the 1999 tournament in Paraguay, exiting in the group stage following a draw and two losses. They were also invited to the 2011 tournament in Argentina, but pulled out after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster caused major disruptions to the fixture schedule in the J-League.

Twelve teams will compete in three groups, with eight teams advancing to the knockout stage.