Joseph has given star winger Kenki Fukuoka a start after he has proved he's recovered from a calf muscle injury sustained five weeks ago.
Fukuoka was a late, forced inclusion in the reserves against Ireland and scored the
match-winning try, and scored another try off the bench against Samoa last Saturday. He's back as a starter among four changes to the starting lineup.
Hooker Shota Horie, lock Luke Thompson, and fullback William Tupou are recalled.
Fukuoka, Horie, and Thompson, along with prop Keita Inagaki, captain Michael Leitch, flyhalf Yu Tamura and wing Kotaro Matsushima repeat as starters against Scotland from the 2015 Rugby World Cup match which the Scots won 45-10 to cost Japan a place in the quarterfinals.
Townsend made 12 changes to his starting lineup, recalling seven players to the starting XV who were rested for the midweek win over Russia.
Skipper Greig Laidlaw, veteran fullback Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and Sam Johnson return in the backs, and forwards Allan Dell, Jonny Gray and Blade Thomson are back.
- AP
Match details: Pool A, Sunday 13 October, 11:45pm, International Stadium Yokohama, Yokohama City.
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
Squads
Japan:15. William Tupou, 14. Kotaro Matsushima, 13. Timothy Lafaele, 12. Ryoto Nakamura, 11. Kenki Fukuoka, 10. Yu Tamura, 9. Yutaka Nagare, 8. Kazuki Himeno, 7. Pieter Labuschagne, 6. Michael Leitch (c), 5. James Moore, 4. Luke Thompson, 3. Jiwon Koo, 2. Shota Horie, 1. Keita Inagaki
Reserves:
16. Atsushi Sakate, 17. Isileli Nakajima, 18. Asaeli Ai Valu, 19. Uwe Helu, 20. Hendrik Tui, 21. Fumiaki Tanaka, 22. Rikiya Matsuda, 23. Ryohei Yamanaka
Scotland:
15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Tommy Seymour, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Sam Johnson, 11. Darcy Graham, 10. Finn Russell, 9. Greig Laidlaw (c), 8. Blade Thomson, 7. Jamie Ritchie, 6. Magnus Bradbury, 5. Jonny Gray, 4. Grant Gilchrist, 3. Willem Nel, 2. Fraser Brown, 1. Allan Dell
Reserves:
16. Stuart McInally, 17. Gordon Reid, 18. Zander Fagerson, 19. Scott Cummings, 20. Ryan Wilson, 21.George Horne, 22. Pete Horne, 23. Blair Kinghorn.
Head-to-head
Japan and Scotland have played seven times, with Scotland winning every game.
Last match: Scotland won 21-16 in 2016.
Prediction: Japan by 1.
Group standings
