Japan skipper Hiroki Kokubo said Monday he is flirting with the idea of calling up the Hiroshima Carp’s veteran right-hander Hiroki Kuroda for the inaugural Premier 12 this fall.

“Fatigue is something we’ll have to consider but yes, there is the possibility,” Kokubo said of the former New York Yankee who returned to Japanese baseball this season.

“It’s a competitive tournament so who we choose as our starters will be a huge key.”

Kuroda is 6-2 in 11 starts with a 2.61 ERA this season for the fifth-place Carp.

Japan takes on South Korea in the opening game on Nov. 8 at Sapporo Dome before moving to Taiwan to face Mexico three days later. Japan will face the Dominican Republic on Nov. 12, the United States on the 14th and Venezuela on the 15th to close out the first round.

The top four from each of the two groups of six advance to the quarterfinals on Nov. 16. The tournament shifts to Japan from the semifinals on Nov. 19-20 at Tokyo Dome with the final set for the 21st.

A provisional squad list of 45 must be submitted in early September before paring down the final team to 28 in October.

“I want to assemble the best team ever,” Kokubo said.