SAITAMA, Japan -- Given Japan have booked their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it may seem like there is little for them to play in the their final three games in the third round of Asian qualifiers -- starting with Tuesday's meeting with Saudi Arabia.
Of course, there is the opportunity to try new systems, hone existing plays and blood inexperienced personnel.
There will also be a responsibility to the larger qualification process for the Samurai Blue to be as competitive as they have previously been, given their results could still affect who books the second automatic ticket in Group C, as well as which teams advance to the fourth round.
But perhaps the biggest reason why their upcoming games will be anything but dead rubbers? The fact that, as of now, it is the start of their next big goal: to win the World Cup.
It is not a new lofty target.
Previously, when the Japan Football Association announced "The JFA Pledge of 2050", becoming champions of the world had been one of the primary tenets.
Last November, Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu declared it as their "very, very high goal".
And on Monday, fresh off securing an 8th consecutive World Cup appearance, that very dream was revisited once more.
"It is true that we have never advanced to the quarterfinals," he responded, when asked about the fact that the furthest Japan have reached remains the round of 16.
"But at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, we only lost via a penalty shootout to Croatia. Our journey stopped there as a result but I felt we really had an opportunity to advance from the round of 16.
"Also, the JFA has made a commitment that Japan will be [world] champions by 2050. That is already a public statement.
"So, when we play together as the Japan national team, we should be moving towards this goal and making sure we can realise it.
"Maybe there will be doubters but we will have our opportunities. We just have to keep improving in every aspect."
At Monday's prematch news conference, there were also references to the fact that Japan seem to perform poorly at the World Cup when they dominate throughout the qualifiers.
There is also the fact that, after they had qualified for the previous World Cup, their next outing immediately after saw them slump to a shock draw with unfancied Vietnam.
Nonetheless, Samurai Blue captain Wataru Endō was quick to quell any suggestions that they might take their foot off the pedal against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
"There are many instances of the Japanese national team doing well in the qualifiers and then not quite so in the World Cup," said the Liverpool midfielder. "It's very interesting.
"I said after the Bahrain match that I feel this is the start of a new day. Yes, we had a draw against Vietnam last time but right now is different.
"Now that we know we're going to the World Cup, from today, we have to use this time to do whatever we need so that we can become champions of the World Cup.
"We shouldn't be too emotional after a win or a loss. We have to stay calm and have good preparation in the upcoming one and a half years."