Hooker Shota Horie returned to the Japan squad for the first time since the 2019 World Cup among the 34 players named Tuesday for the Brave Blossoms training camp ahead of this summer's test matches against Uruguay and France.
Horie's inclusion came a day after the veteran was named League One MVP after the 36-year-old helped Saitama Wild Knights secure the inaugural championship. Fellow Saitama hooker Atsushi Sakate and Tokyo Sungoliath scrumhalf Yutaka Nagare were named Japan co-captains.
Jamie Joseph's men will train in Miyazaki before taking on Uruguay in Tokyo and Kitakyushu on June 18 and 25. Japan will face France in Toyota and Tokyo on July 2 and 9.
Long-serving Saitama prop Keita Inagaki and Brave Lupus Tokyo flanker Michael Leitch made the squad, as did Saitama flyhalf Takuya Yamasawa and Kobe Steelers wing Rakuhei Yamashita, the League One top try scorer.
Toyota Verblitz No. 8 Kazuki Himeno, one of the standout performers when Japan reached their first World Cup last eight in 2019, missed out as he is not fully fit.
With the World Cup in France starting in September next year, Joseph pointed out the importance of adding squad depth during a press conference with his preparation falling behind due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Japan Rugby Football Union also said Japan will play France in Toulouse in a Nov. 20 test after facing England on the 12th at Twickenham in London.
Ranked 10th in the world, Japan have drawn one and lost nine against second-ranked France, this year's Six Nations champions.
Japan will be based in Toulouse during the 2023 World Cup, with the Brave Blossoms scheduled to play two of their pool games there.
