Beauden, Scott and Jordi Barrett remained in the country for funerals. Sam Whitelock and Will Jordan are also out through injury.
Six All Blacks players including the three Barrett brothers are absent from the New Zealand group which took off on Saturday morning (local time) for Japan to play the first match of its autumn tour in a week.
Coach Ian Foster explained that the three Beauden brothers, Jordie and Scott Barrett will stay in New Zealand to attend their grandmother’s funeral, and that they will join the group later.
Scrum-half Folau Fakatava, who had his first cap against Ireland in July, will be out for several months after suffering a knee injury in training.
Two other players, second row Sam Whitelock and winger Will Jordan, are both out for an unknown amount of time with inner ear problems, although Foster said he hopes Whitelock will return in the first game in Europe, against Wales on November 6.
Four additional players have been called up to the squad: versatile full-back Damian McKenzie, scrum-half Brad Weber, second-row Patrick Tuipulotu and hooker Asafo Aumua.
New Zealand begin their tour against Japan in Tokyo on October 29, before playing Wales, Scotland and England.