Maya Yoshida will travel to Japan next week to represent Samurai Blue in two matches of the Kirin Challenge Cup 2014.
The Southampton defender is in line to face Uruguay in Sapporo on Friday 5th September and Venezuela in Yokohama on the 9th as part of the seven game series of international matches over the course of the year which act as a warm up to the 2015 Asian Cup.
Yoshida will be hoping to impress new coach Javier Aguirre, with the former Mexico national coach having replaced Alberto Zaccheroni who resigned after Japan’s group stage exit at the World Cup finals in Brazil.
Japan have already beaten New Zealand and Cyprus in warm up matches this year, and following the game against Venezuela a week on Tuesday, they are also due to face Jamaica, Paraguay and Romania before the end of 2014.
While Yoshida’s side is due to face Uruguay, the Saints man is not scheduled to line up against club teammate Gastón Ramírez, as the midfielder has not included in the travelling party this time around.
Yoshida will return to St Mary’s ahead of the Premier League game against Newcastle United on Saturday 13th September.
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