Maekawa was capped 17 times for the Japanese national team from 1992 to 1996. His first cap came on June 7, 1992 in a friendly against Wales in Ehime Matsuyama Athletic Stadium. He was a member of the Japan team that won the 1992 Asian Cup. He played 2 games after first-choice keeper Shigetatsu Matsunaga was shown a red card in the semi-final against China.