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(Updates with Okada quotes)
TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Japan striker Naohiro Takahara is set to become embroiled in a club-versus-country row between Asian champions Urawa Reds and the national side.
Urawa manager Holger Osieck will ask Japan coach Takeshi Okada not to take Takahara to the East Asian Championships in Chongqing, China, beginning on Feb. 17.
The German will wait until after Japan's 2010 World Cup qualifier against Thailand on Wednesday before holding talks with Okada.
"I can't say anything about the East Asian (Championships) problem now," Osieck was quoted as saying in the Japanese media on Saturday.
"I don't want to disrupt the concentration of coach Okada or the players before such an important game. But after the Thailand game I will talk face to face with the coach about it."
Takahara, who recently joined Urawa from German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt, tweaked a hamstring in Japan's 3-0 home win over Bosnia in midweek.
The 28-year-old trained with the Japan squad on Saturday ahead of Japan's opening 2010 qualifier in Saitama on Wednesday against opponents Okada warned would be no pushovers.
"Somehow I don't think Thailand will sit back and just defend," Okada said after practice. "Our scouts have been to Oman and Bahrain and they tell me Thailand are the best (of Japan's three group opponents)." (Writing by Alastair Himmer: Editing by John Mehaffey)
