Rugby's governing body is set to promote Japan's national men's team to its Tier 1 group of nations alongside the powerhouses of the sport, sources familiar with the matter said Sunday.
With the move, expected at a World Rugby board meeting in the coming weeks, the Brave Blossoms will join the 10 current Tier 1 teams and be part of the new "High Performance Union" framework.
As the first Asian nation to rise to the top level of the sport, Japan has a chance to boost its presence in international rugby.
The promotion to Tier 1 comes after Japan showed strong results in recent years, such as a quarterfinal finish at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
At the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, Japan stunned South Africa in its pool-stage opener.
Four years later, Japan defeated traditional powerhouses Ireland and Scotland at the World Cup to reach the tournament's last eight for the first time.