With coach Eddie O'Sullivan and 11 players on Lions duty in New Zealand, Niall O'Donovan will be in charge of a side skippered by David Humphreys.

Munster second row Trevor Hogan, Leinster's Kieran Lewis and Conor McPhillips from Connacht have not been selected for an Ireland squad before, while Roger Wilson, Matt McCullough, Kieran Campbell, Paddy Wallace (all Ulster), David Quinlan (Leinster) and Bernard Jackman (Connacht) are uncapped.

Connacht coach Michael Bradley and Ulster coach Mark McCall have been added to the coaching staff.

O'Donovan said, ''With such a high representation on the British and Irish Lions, the squad for Japan gives us a chance to look at players in certain areas.

These include the back row and second row, where there is a glut of talent coming through, allowing us to look at options as cover for players such as Anthony Foley and also at scrum half.

With two tough full international games against Japan, the key to the squad was getting the balance right and given that there are also six players with less then 10 caps, the need for experience in key areas of the pack and in the backs was essential.''

The squad departs on June 4 from their camp in Limerick and will play the first of their two Tests in the 55,000 capacity Nagai Stadium, Osaka on June 12.

The second Test will take place in Tokyo the following Sunday, June 19 in the 28,000 capacity Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground.

The Ireland Rugby squad to tour Japan this summer:

Forwards - Simon Best (Ulster), Reggie Corrigan (Leinster), Leo Cullen (Leinster), Simon Easterby (Llanelli), Trevor Hogan (Munster), Marcus Horan (Munster), Bernard Jackman (Connacht), Denis Leamy (Munster), Matt McCullough (Ulster), Eric Miller (Leinster), Johnny OConnor (Wasps), Frankie Sheahan (Munster), David Wallace (Munster), Roger Wilson (Ulster).

Backs - Tommy Bowe (Ulster), Kieran Campbell (Ulster), Girvan Dempsey (Leinster), Gavin Duffy (Harlequins), Anthony Horgan (Munster), David Humphreys (Ulster), Kieran Lewis (Leinster), Kevin Maggs (Ulster), Conor McPhillips (Connacht), David Quinlan (Leinster), Peter Stringer (Munster), Paddy Wallace (Ulster).