May 23, 2006
ZICO NAMES JAPAN ROSTER
Ono, Nakata will Manage Midfield

The roster deadline for World Cup 2006 was Monday, May 15. FIFA certified the 23-man squads on May 18, although teams will be able to replace injured players from their designated list of alternates until 24 hours before the kickoff of their first match.

Japan coach Zico has two world-class midfielders in Shinji Ono (Feyenoord) and Hidetoshi Nakata, who has forged an international reputation with English side Bolton. Central defender Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (Gamba Osaka) is the team's captain.

The full Japan roster:
Goalkeepers - Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata), Yoichi Doi (FC Tokyo), Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus Eight)

Defenders - Tsuneyasu Miyamoto (Gamba Osaka), Alex (Urawa Reds), Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama F-Marinos), Makoto Tanaka (Jubilo Iwata), Akira Kaji (Gamba Osaka), Keisuke Tsuboi (Urawa Reds), Yuichi Komano (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Koji Nakata (FC Basel)

Midfielders - Hidetoshi Nakata (Bolton Wanderers), Shunsuke Nakamura (Celtic), Shinji Ono (Urawa Reds), Junichi Inamoto (West Bromwich Albion), Takashi Fukunishi (Jubilo Iwata), Mitsuo Ogasawara (Kashima Antlers), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka)

Forwards - Atsushi Yanagisawa (Kashima Antlers), Naohiro Takahara (Hamburg), Masashi Oguro (Grenoble), Keiji Tamada (Nagoya Grampus Eight) Seiichiro Maki (JEF United Chiba)