The Japanese government plans to exempt soccer's world governing body FIFA from taxes on profits from commercial projects related to the 2002 World Cup, mostly by utilizing existing taxation measures, government sources said Thursday.

The government's proposal will pave the way for ticket orders for the World Cup, which will be cohosted by Japan and South Korea, to begin as early as February according to Japan Football Association President Shunichiro Okano, who spoke at a news conference on Thursday.

FIFA has been calling on the Japanese government to enact a new special law to exempt it from taxes for the event.