Olympic Games
Even Takefusa Kubo, despite being eligible age wise, was not included with officials admitting several players who had been considered were not released by their European clubs.
Each squad is allowed to register three overage players for the under-23 men's Olympics football tournament.
"We're not going to the Paris Olympics for the experience," said head coach Oiwa after naming his squad.
"We're going there as the Japan national team and we're going there to win a medal - the gold medal."
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Japan have been drawn in Group D alongside Paraguay, Mali and Israel, having qualified after winning the U23 Asian Cup Qatar 2024™ in May.
"I have chosen the best 18 players and four back-ups that were available to me," said Oiwa, whose side will be aiming to emulate, if not better, the 1968 bronze-medal winning Japanese squad.
Japan Squad
Goalkeepers: Leo Brian Kokubo (SL Benfica/Portugal); Taishi Brandon Nozawa (FC Tokyo)
Defenders: Ayumu Ohata (Urawa Red Diamonds), Ryuya Nishio (Cerezo Osaka), Seiji Kimura (Sagan Tosu), Riku Handa (Gamba Osaka), Hiroki Sekine (Kashiwa Reysol), Kota Takai (Kawasaki Frontale)
Midfielders: Sota Kawasaki (Kyoto Sanga FC), Rihito Yamamoto (Sint-Truidense VV/Belgium), Ryotaro Araki (FC Tokyo), Joel Chima Fujita (Sint-Truidense VV/Belgium), Shunsuke Mito (Sparta Rotterdam/Netherlands)
Forwards: Yu Hirakawa (FC Machida Zelvia), Shota Fujio (FC Machida Zelvia), Kein Sato (SV Werder Bremen/Germany), Koki Saito (Lommel SK/Belgium), Mao Hosoya (Kashiwa Reysol)
