Football Japan Minutecast

Man-of-the-moment Sota Hirayama has been included in a 26-man squad named by Japan coach Takeshi Okada for next week�fs pre-season training camp in Kagoshima and the friendly with Venezuela on 2 February.

Hirayama�fs inclusion had been widely touted following a hat-trick on his international debut against Yemen earlier this month, but this is the first time that the 24-year-old FC Tokyo striker has ever been called up for a Japan team at full strength. Two other players to retain their places from the experimental squad chosen for the Asian Cup qualifying match are Mu Kanazaki of Nagoya Grampus and the uncapped Taisuke Muramatsu of Shonan Bellmare, who missed out against Yemen through illness.

Former Rennes midfielder Junichi Inamoto celebrated his 150,000 euro move to Kawasaki Frontale with a return to the squad, while there was also a first recall in over three years for Mitsuo Ogasawara, who won his sixth J. League title with Kashima Antlers last season. Ogasawara last played for Japan in the 2006 World Cup before a brief spell in Serie A with Messina, but has remained in the international wilderness ever since despite repeated calls for his inclusion from pundits and club coach Oswaldo de Oliveira alike.

The 30-year-old usually takes a deeper lying role for Kashima, but Okada has suggested that he is likely to be used in attacking midfield if chosen against Venezuela.

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Kazuyoshi Miura will extend his record as the J. League�fs oldest ever player this season after agreeing to a one-year extension to his contract with J2 side Yokohama FC. The striker turned down a possible return to Brazilian third division club XV de Jaú, where he enjoyed a successful season as a 21-year-old back in 1988, to sign on for a fourth year at the Mitsuzawa Stadium for an estimated salary of 30 million yen. �eKing Kazu�f scored once in 30 league appearances for Yokohama last year, and celebrates his 43rd birthday next month.