I want England to be brave with the ball - Borthwick

Meanwhile Borthwick has defended the decision to bring flanker Tom Curry back into the starting XV, a fortnight after being knocked out against Australia.

It was Curry’s second concussion of the season, while the 26-year-old missed the bulk of last season with a career-threatening hip injury.

"The health and wellbeing of the players is paramount," Borthwick said.

"Post the game against Australia, Tom went through all the protocols, which are very stringent protocols.

"He has had a number of consultations with independent specialists. He is a man who is desperate to play this weekend. I am very confident in the medical and strength and conditioning team we have."

Curry's return is one of two changes to the starting XV, with Freddie Steward making way for George Furbank at full-back, while there has also been a re-shuffle on the bench.

Replacement fly-half Fin Smith is set for his first appearance of the autumn, while Sale's 20-year-old prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour will make his England debut if he comes on.

England are looking to bring through a new generations of props following the international retirements of Joe Marler and Mako Vunipola, while Dan Cole – who is out of the squad this weekend – is nearing the end of his career at the age of 37.

"He [Opoku-Fordjour] is a prop who can play both sides of the scrum and that is a huge asset," Borthwick said.

"His first training session here he sidestepped two players and made a line break. He has a point of difference.

"Dan Cole and Joe Marler gave me really high recommendations of him. So he is a young prop with a brilliant future."

England: Furbank; Freeman, Lawrence, Slade, Sleightholme; M Smith, Van Poortvliet; Genge, George (capt), Stuart, Itoje, Martin, T Curry, Underhill, Earl.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Opoku-Fordjour, Isiekwe, Cunningham-South, Randall, F Smith, Roebuck.

Japan: Matsunaga; Osada, Riley, Fifita, Naikabula; McCurran, Saito; Okabe, Harada, Takeuchi, Waqa, Uluiviti, Shimokawa, Himeno, Makisi.

Replacements: Lee, Morikawa, Tamefusa, Akiyama, Tatafu, Gunter, Fujiwara, Kajimura.