Japan's national soccer team is seeking to naturalize an ethnic Korean striker.

The Japanese daily newspaper Sports Hochi said the team’s head coach Yasuharu Sorimachi holds Lee Chun-song of the Kashiwa Reysol Sun Kings in high regard.

The striker, a third-generation Korean born and bred in Tokyo, contributed to Reysol’s promotion to the J-League Division One this season, scoring eight goals in 31 matches.

Although Lee was drafted by South Korea's national youth team led by coach Park Sung-wha in 2004, he has never played an official international match for the South Korean national team. Therefore, the daily said his becoming a Japanese citizen would not pose any problems.