Japan to call up Catania striker Morimoto

Japan coach Takeshi Okada plans to call up emerging Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto for his first international cap to beef up the Blue Samurai’s perennially feeble firepower.

Okada described the 21-year-old as powerful and “strong in front of goal” Thursday as he outlined his likely squad for friendlies in the Netherlands next month.

Japan will play the hosts — ranked third in the world behind Brazil and Spain — in Enschede on September 5 and Ghana in Utrecht on September 9 as part of their preparations for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Morimoto, who moved to Catania in 2006 after three seasons with J-League side Tokyo Verdy, has scored nine goals in 42 Serie A games.

Okada, who has ambitiously set Japan’s World Cup target at a sem-final spot, is expected to call up 22 players for the Dutch tour with around six Europe-based players.

He is scheduled to formally announce his squad on August 28.

Apart from Morimoto, Okada said: “There is little possibility that I will call up untested players. We will go straight forward with what we have tried so far.”

Despite qualifying for South Africa, Japan lacked punch up front, going down 2-1 away to Australia in their final qualifier and only drawing 1-1 with unfancied Qatar at home.