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Honda and Kagawa headline Japan's squad

Zaccheroni, coach of Japan since August 2010, selected 12 players based in Europe and 11 in the J.League as the Italian prepares to lead Asia's top-ranked nation to Brazil.

Milan's Honda and Manchester United's Kagawa will be critical to Japan's hopes of progressing from Group C, where they will face Ivory Coast, Greece and Colombia.

Japan traditionally struggle to produce top-line strikers and Zaccheroni will most likely rely on Honda and Kagawa to both create and score most of the team's goals at the World Cup.

Underlining Japan's struggles up front was the one surprise selection in Zaccheroni's squad with Yoshito Okubo of Kawasaki Frontale named despite having only been picked once before during the Italian's tenure.

With 54 caps and five international goals to his name, the 31-year-old Okubo will challenge the likes of Mainz striker Shinji Okazaki and 1860 Munich's Yuya Osako for a spot up front.