In addition to the Arsenal starlet, Utrecht attacker Yoshiaki Takagi and Kashima Antlers forward Yuya Osako were also not included in coach Takashi Sekizuka's squad.

"We looked at their performances and their positions, and we discussed a lot of things in coming up with our list of 18 players," Sekizuka told reporters when asked about Miyaichi.

With none of the J.League's current top five teams represented, Japan's roster for London is comprised of mostly mid-table players and five European-based players.

Hiroki Sakai and Hiroshi Kiyotake made the cut two days after playing their final matches before moving to the Bundesliga, as did Stuttgart defender Gotoku Sakai and Hoffenheim attacker Takashi Usami.

The surprise may well be striker Kenyu Sugimoto, who plays for J2 League leaders Tokyo Verdy. JEF Chiba defender Kazuki Oiwa also made the list as a back-up.

The JFA's controversial over-age selections were again at the forefront, with defenders Maya Yoshida and Yuhei Tokunaga selected while goalkeeper Akihiro Hayashi will travel to London as a back-up. Tokunaga's FC Tokyo will send three players, the most of any J.League club.

Japan's Olympic selection will play New Zealand in a July 11 friendly before departing for London, where they will play Spain, Honduras, and Morocco in Group D.

Full Japan Olympic squad (back-up players in italics):-

Goalkeepers: Shuichi Gonda, Shunsuke Ando, Akihiro Hayashi

Defenders: Yuhei Tokunaga, Maya Yoshida, Kazuya Yamamura, Daisuke Suzuki, Hiroki Sakai, Gotoku Sakai, Kazuki Oiwa

Midfielders: Hiroshi Kiyotake, Taisuke Murumatsu, Keigo Higashi, Hotaru Yamaguchi, Takahiro Ogihara, Takashi Usamim, Takuji Yonemoto

Attackers: Kensuke Nagai, Yuki Otsu, Manabu Saito, Kenyu Sugimoto, Ryohei Yamazaki