Tokyo (dpa / lsw) - Germany's group opponents Japan are traveling with Wataru Endo (29 years old) and Hiroki Ito (23) from VfB Stuttgart and Ritsu Doan (24) from SC Freiburg to the World Cup in Qatar. A total of eight professionals from the Bundesliga and 2nd division are in the squad. National coach Hajime Moriyasu announced the 26-player squad at a press conference on Tuesday. The Samurai Blue squad also includes Daichi Kamada (26/Eintracht Frankfurt), Takuma Asano (27/VfL Bochum), Ko Itakura (25/Borussia Mönchengladbach and Maya Yoshida (34/Schalke 04) from the top German division as well as Ao Tanaka ( 24) from second division club Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Somewhat surprisingly, veteran Genki Haraguchi from Bundesliga leaders 1. FC Union Berlin and former Bundesliga professional Yuya Osako are not going to the tournament, which begins on November 20 in the Gulf Emirates. The now 32-year-old Osako played for 1. FC Köln and Werder Bremen, but has been active again in his home country with Vissel Kobe since last year. Striker Kyogo Furuhashi from top Scottish club Celtic Glasgow was also not included.
"Our goal is to at least reach the quarter-finals," said coach Moriyasu in Tokyo, adding: "It won't be easy." Japan, in their seventh finals tournament, will meet the German Football Association's selection in the first round match on November 23 at the Khalifa International Stadium. Other opponents in Group E in Qatar are former world champions Spain and Costa Rica.
