Japan established its presence in the baseball universe after winning the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 and repeating the feat in 2009. But when it comes to soccer, the national squad is seen by many as a nonfactor heading into June's World Cup in South Africa.
Yet with many predicting Japan's early exit from the tournament, national team manager Takeshi Okada has repeatedly said his goal is not only to go beyond the first round matches but to reach the semifinals.
Is Okada just whistling in the dark or will Japan stage a historic upset in Africa? Following are questions and answers regarding the history of soccer in Japan and the national team: