Japan have never won a World Cup knock-out match in four attempts and in order to finally break the curse they must beat no one less than record champions Brazil.
But the Samurai Blue have every right to enter Monday's last 32 match in Houston with confidence as they beat Brazil for the first time last autumn, 3-2 in a friendly international in Tokyo.
The match in September was the second of now 10 matches Japan has gone unbeaten and made them a dark horse at the World Cup they were the first team to qualify for last year.
Results include a 1-0 win at Wembley against England in March, a 2-2 in the World Cup opener against the Netherlands and a 4-0 victory against Tunisia which made them the first Asian team to score four goals in a World Cup match.
Japan ended the group stage with a 1-1 draw against Sweden on Thursday which continued the unbeaten run and saw them finish second in the group behind the Dutch.
"Being able to carry this unbeaten momentum into the Brazil match next is definitely positive," goalkeeper Zion Suzuki said.
Vinícius Júnior and his Brazil team-mates will pose a formidable challenge and Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu suggested that Brazil's defeat in September "may make them even more motivated now."
But he insisted that the game almost 10 months ago also showed that "we aren't an easy opponent, and that alone is a big progress for us."
Moriyasu said that he admires Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti and has "a lot of respect" for the team that plays "perfect" football.
"But we still believe that we have a chance to get the victory," he said.
One man who agrees is former Brazil playmaker Zico who coached Japan 2002-2006 which included the team's only previous World Cup meeting in 2006 which Brazil won 4-1 in the group stage.
Japan have since improved. They were close to the quarter-finals in 2018 when they lost 3-2 in stoppage time against Belgium after leading 2-0. In 2022 they beat former champions Germany and Spain in the group stage before going out on penalties in the last 16 against Croatia.
“I’ll be supporting Brazil. After all, I am Brazilian. But if Japan win, so be it. What I do know is that it will be a great match, because Japan play proper football,” Zico told FIFA.
"Japan are prepared to face anyone. Over the past few years, they have beaten Brazil, Germany, Spain and England. They really are ready for whatever comes their way.
“Of course the team has improved tactically, but the bigger issue for Japan was always psychological. They now know how to deal with adversity and can respond when they fall behind.”
Moriyasu meanwhile said that game will not only be "a very good experience for the development of our football in Japan" but for the whole of Asia.
The best Asian World Cup result so far is South Korea's run to the semi-finals of the 2002 tournament it hosted together with Japan.
Moriyasu said they are representing the whole continent and that one aim is "that we can encourage other Asian teams and be their hope."
