Tokyo: Japan coach Zico named just three European-based players in a 23-man squad for Asian Cup warm-up games against Slovakia and Serbia and Montenegro on Thursday.

Captain Hidetoshi Nakata of Bologna (groin) and Junichi Inamoto (broken fibula) are injured. Midfielder Shinji Ono, who plays for Dutch club Feyenoord, was left out after being selected to play in Athens.

Italian-based players Shunsuke Nakamura and Atsushi Yanagisawa were included along with goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi of Danish club Nordsjaelland. Japan play Slovakia on July 9 in Hiroshima and the Serbians on July 13 in Yokohama.