Japan advanced to the final of the rhythmic gymnastics group competition after placing fourth in Thursday's qualification round behind Greece, Russia and Belarus.
Japan earned 38.766 points after two exercises at the Sydney Olympic Park Pavilion, matching its final standing at last year's world championships in Osaka midway through the country's bid to win its first medal in elite international competition.
World silver medalist Greece topped the field of 10 countries with 39.400 points, followed by world champion and Atlanta Olympic bronze medalist Russia with 39.366.
Belarus was another 0.050 behind.
Scores from the qualification round will not carry over to Saturday's eight-nation final.
"It was a fairly good performance with 85s and 90s out of 100.
The group members have an explosive power and I hope it will be put on a full display in the final," Japan coach Misako Gomei said.
The Japanese team, built around gymnasts from Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education, went through the most complicated sequences of the field without a major error in both exercises -- the clubs and the hoops and ribbons combined.
One of the highlights in Japan's routines came when Ayako Inada threw clubs in four different directions and the other performers caught them without interrupting the flow of their moves.