KEY POINTS:
No guesses where Asia's chances lie. With Japan, and nowhere.
Japan have been ever-present at the World Cup by virtue of their dominance of Asian rugby.
Korean supporters have been known to cry foul over events surrounding the 1987 tournament. That was an invitation event, and Korea believed they had the rights to the place given to Japan.
Japan have tested top sides now and then, but those encouraging moments have been dotted among disasters.
There is absolutely nothing to suggest Japan should approach this tournament with optimism although their coach, former All Black great John Kirwan, appears to see it otherwise.
"This team carries the dreams and hopes of a nation that is about to explode as far as rugby is concerned," Kirwan said. "We need a great World Cup, we need players to be great, and then we can all rejoice at the success."
You would go a long way to find a more bizarre sporting prophecy.
This year, Japan were crushed by the Junior All Blacks and Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup and finished last, although they did edge out Tonga. Even then, that probably said more about the state of Tonga than Japan's progress.
Japan's squad has a few Tongans and New Zealanders including Hare Makiri, Luke Thompson and Bryce Robins. First five-eighths Kousei Ono moved to New Zealand with his family when eight and is a product of Christchurch rugby.
Former Counties loose forward Glen Marsh was ruled ineligible by the IRB, and former Auckland first five-eighths James Arlidge has a broken leg.
The IRB loves Japan because of its financial clout, and a lot of decent footballers from the Pacific region feel the same. Whether that should result in a few of them propping up the Japanese national side at the world tournament is another matter - there is always the feeling the promotion of Japan as a genuine playing power is a con job.
Whether Japan should continue to get a free pass into the top tier of future, compacted World Cups is also likely to become a matter of debate.
Japan go into their sixth World Cup with just one win, against Zimbabwe. Whatever counts as success will, therefore, be relative. But while Kirwan says great expectations, most would predict hard times.
