Head coach Eddie Jones has made six personnel changes to the Japan lineup to face France in Paris on Saturday.
Among the backs, scrumhalf Naoto Saito, who plays for Top 14 champions Toulouse, centre Siosaia Fifita and winger Tomoki Osada come in for Shinobu Fujiwara, Nicholas McCurran and Yoshitaka Yazaki from October’s 64-19 drubbing by New Zealand.
In the forwards, flanker Kanji Shimokawa, lock Epineri Uluiviti and hooker Mamoru Harada replace Amato Fakatava, Sanaila Waqa and Atsushi Sakate for this week’s game at the Stade de France.
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No 8 Tevita Tatafu, who also plays club rugby in France but for Bordeaux-Begles, is named on the bench as experienced fly-half Harumichi Tatekawa continutes to captain the side.
After facing France, the Brave Blossom play Uruguay on 16 November and England eight days later.
Japan – 15 Malo Tuitama, 14 Jone Naikabula, 13 Dylan Riley, 12 Siosaia Fifita, 11 Tomoki Osada, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa (c), 9 Naoto Saito; 8 Faula Makisi, 7 Kazuki Himeno, 6 Kanji Shimokawa, 5 Warner Dearns, 4 Epineri Uluiviti, 3 Shuhei Takeuchi, 2 Mamoru Harada, 1 Takato Okabe.
Subs: 16 Kenta Masuoka, 17 Yukio Morikawa, 18 Keijiro Tamefusa, 19 Amato Fakatava, 20 Tevita Tatafu, 21 Shinobu Fujiwara, 22 Yusuke Kajimura, 23 Takuro Matsunaga.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Toru Hanai/Getty Images
