Ono answers Japan’s SOS

Sunwolves lock Hitoshi Ono has been recalled to the Japan squad on Tuesday as an injury replacement ahead of their upcoming Tests against Romania and Ireland.

Ono replaces Suntory Sungoliath second row Shinya Makabe ahead of Saturday's Test against Romania in Kumamoto.

The 39-year-old's return presents him with the opportunity of representing the Brave Blossoms in 100 Tests as he has already played 98 times for his country.

Ono's selection is the second enforced change after Yuya Odo replaced another lock, Kyosuke Kajikawa, in the squad.

Japan squad (revised):

Forwards: Shintaro Ishihara, Keita Inagaki, Koki Yamamoto, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Yu Chinen, Yusuke Niwai, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie, Yuya Odo, Uwe Helu, Hitoshi Ono, Kotaro Yatabe, Hendrik Tui, Yoshitaka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matasuhashi, Amanaki Lelei Mafi, Michael Leitch

Backs: Keisuke Uchida, Fumiaki Tanaka, Yutaka Nagare, Jumpei Ogura, Yu Tamura, Rikiya Matsuda, Derek Carpenter, Harumichi Tatekawa, William Tupou, Timothy Lafaele, Shota Emi, Kenki Fukuoka, Akihito Yamada, Ryuji Noguchi, Kotaro Matsushima