Nakamura dribbles past a Jamaican defender during the Kirin World Challenge 2002. (Jiji)

Now that the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the J. League season are over - the former was held in Japan and South Korea in early summer, while the latter ended on November 30 - the eyes of Japanese soccer fans have turned to Europe. The exploits of Hidetoshi Nakata, now in his fifth season in the Italian league, and other Japanese players who belong to European teams are featured on TV and in newspapers every day. It seems that soccer fans just cannot get enough of these homegrown stars as they make their names on the world stage.

The Magnificent Seven
There are currently seven Japanese soccer players plying their trade in European leagues. They include five members of Japan's World Cup squad: midfielder Nakata, of Italian Serie A team Parma; midfielder Jun'ichi Inamoto (site is Japanese only), now with Fulham and in his second year in the English Premier League; midfielder Shinji Ono (site is Japanese only), in his second year with Dutch team Feyenoord; striker Takayuki Suzuki, who transferred to Belgian side Genk after the World Cup; and goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, in his second season with Portsmouth of the English First Division. Two players who were not selected for the World Cup have also made an impression: midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura (site is Japanese only) of Italian side Reggina, who has wowed crowds with his stylish ball skills, and Nozomi Hiroyama (site is Japanese only) of Portuguese team Braga, whose trademarks are his speed and dribbling ability.

Nakata remains the most recognized Japanese star in world football. Now in his second season with Parma, he is the catalyst for much of the team's attacking play. Nakamura has also established himself as a key presence and began the Serie A season by scoring in three straight matches, the first Japanese to achieve this feat in Italy. Inamoto rarely played for Arsenal last season, but since moving to Fulham he has reveled in his role as a regular starter. He even scored a hat-trick for his new team in August. Ono, meanwhile, acts as a vital fulcrum between attack and defense for Feyenoord.

More Exports to Come
Japanese footballers have made the journey to Europe before - Yasuhiko Okudera played in Germany, while Kazuyoshi Miura played in Italy and Croatia - but never in such numbers. The age of the current overseas cohort is also significant. They are all in their twenties, and this is testament to the success of the Japanese soccer fraternity in training young players nationwide. Besides those currently playing in Europe, a number of other Japanese players are also attracting attention from foreign teams. Striker Naohiro Takahara (site is Japanese only), who at 23 became the youngest ever leading scorer in J. League history in 2002, was invited to train with German Bundesliga side Hamburg SV in December. Winger Alessandro Santos, a naturalized Japanese citizen who was born in Brazil, was all set to join English Premier League team Charlton Athletic, but the transfer fell through at the last minute because Santos failed to secure a work permit.

Zico, the former Brazilian World Cup star who now manages the Japanese national team, has encouraged his players to gain experience in overseas leagues, and more Japanese stars are sure to make the move to top European leagues in the coming years.