Japan's experience may hold the key in Vanuatu

Japan will be out to defend their title from 2010 at next week's Pepsi ICC East Asia-Pacific Women's Championship in Vanuatu when they enter as the sole Asian team in a Pacific dominated event.

Japan have impressed in their two most recent international hit-outs by defeating Zimbabwe at last year's World Cup Qualifying event in Bangladesh and then backing this up with near losses on home soil to a Pakistan A side last month.

Despite having further to travel and a less than ideal training preparation for this tournament that saw the side often training in cold winter conditions, Japanese coach Chris Ferguson says his side is well placed to have another tilt at the title.

"As defending champions of the EAP Women's Championship our aim is to definitely win again in 2012," said Ferguson. "We progressed a lot as a team in Bangladesh and playing quality teams such as Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh and beating Zimbabwe, is something that no other team has experienced."

11 of Japan's squad of 14 women in Vanuatu travelled to Bangladesh for the World Cup Qualifier, and Ferguson will be hoping this global experience against quality opposition will have his side ready to face the best that the Pacific has to offer.

"We realise though that the standard of the women's game has improved remarkably since the last EAP tournament in 2010 and we will need to perform well to defend our title," he said. "We will do our best and look to perform our individual roles and not focus too much on the outcome."

Although taking no side lightly, Ferguson has targeted PNG and Samoa as the teams to beat.

"PNG are obviously going to be strong. They will be looking to avenge their defeat to us in the 2010 tournament. So we expect them to be a quality side," he said. "We have also heard some good things about the Samoan side with a few members have had experience in the Auckland Hearts."

Japan plays their first match on Monday morning Vanuatu time against the Cook Islands before taking on Samoa that afternoon.