Nadeshiko Japan players and officials touched down Sunday in New Zealand in preparation for the FIFA Women's World Cup.
Manager Futoshi Ikeda, captain Saki Kumagai and other members of the traveling party were greeted by around 70 supporters, including locally based Japanese, at the airport in Christchurch.
The squad is scheduled to begin practicing the following day for the 32-team World Cup kicking off Thursday in Australia and New Zealand.
Japan, participating in their ninth straight tournament, will open their Group C campaign against Zambia at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium on Saturday.
The top two teams from each of the eight groups will advance to the knockout stage.
Winners of the 2011 Women's World Cup, Japan aim to improve on a last-16 finish four years ago at the tournament in France.
