Nakamura in Japan squad for Bahrain game

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TOKYO, Feb 25, 2010 (AFP) - Espanyol midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura was Thursday included in the Japan squad along with other Europe-based players for the last qualifying game for the 2011 Asian Cup against Bahrain next week.

The 31-year-old Nakamura, a set-piece specialist who plays a key role for Japan, enjoyed great success with Celtic, winning three league titles in four seasons before moving to Spain.

But the star international has struggled to earn playing time at the Spanish club since transferring there last year and could return home to J-League outfit Yokohama Marinos.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada, who is under pressure after a series of unimpressive displays, said he was unconcerned about Nakamura ahead of Wednesday's game at the Toyota Stadium.

Japan and Bahrain have already qualified for the Asian Cup in Qatar.

"Although he has not been playing, he said he has no problem for the game," the coach said.

"Basically, I must think about winning this game and build up the team further at the same time for the World Cup. But I want my players to concentrate on winning this game."

Forward Yoshito Okubo misses out with a knee injury, while Kengo Nakamura is also sidelined after breaking his jaw.

Squad

Goalkeepers: Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale)

Defenders: Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama Marinos), Marcus Tulio Tanaka (Nagoya), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuto Nagatomo (Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers)

Midfielders: Shunsuke Nakamura (Espanyol/ESP), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki Frontale), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Daisuke Matsui (Grenoble/FRA), Yuki Abe (Urawa Red Diamonds), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg/GER), Keisuke Honda (Moscow/RUS)

Forwards: Keiji Tamada (Nagoya), Sota Hirayama (Tokyo), Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima), Takayuki Morimoto (Catania/ITA)