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Zaccheroni names strong Japan squad for friendly

Alberto Zaccheroni's men continue their preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on March 5 against New Zealand, who missed out on this year's tournament after losing a play-off with Mexico.

Italian coach Zaccheroni has been forced to make changes due to injuries to captain Makoto Hasebe and Schalke full-back Atsuto Uchida.

Those absences have allowed Jubilo Iwata defender Komano and Sanfrecce Hiroshima midfielder Aoyama the chance to stake a claim for a place at the World Cup finals.

Milan playmaker Keisuke Honda and Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa are also been included in a strong 23-man squad as Zaccheroni's men look to build on recent strong performances against the Netherlands and Belgium.