JAPAN are set to allow Celtic's four players into the country for their crucial World Cup double-header later this month because of 'high public interest'.

Celtic's triple signings, Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate, will be joined by countryman Kyogo Furuhashi in the Japan squad for their clashes against China and Saudi Arabia on January 27 and February 1 - which would rule them out of the derby showdown a day later.

The quartet are still waiting to hear if Japan maintains their strict Covid rule of no foreigners being allowed into their country, which has been in place since November.

If the Japanese government stuck to those rules, they would have to forfeit home advantage for the two games and play them abroad because they would not be allowed to let in players and staff from China and Saudi Arabia.

But it's been reported in Japan that they have yielded due to the 'high public interest' of the double-header of games for Qatar 2022, for which Japan are struggling to qualify.

They will allow the special exemption to around 100 people, which includes the players and staff of both China and Saudi Arabia to allow them to play the game in Japan.

And they will also allow Japan's foreign-based players to enter the country too.

In return, the Japanese FA have promised to maintain a super-strict bubble to prevent any spread of infection from when the foreign players enter the country until they leave.

But it will be a major blow to Ange Postecoglou, who will also be missing Australia star Tom Rogic for the clash against Rangers at Parkhead.