With both Japan and Cuba having already booked a spot in the second round of the World Baseball Classic, their clash on Wednesday at Fukuoka Dome presents a chance for an important tuneup against a dangerous foe.
Should the two squads face each other in the modified double-elimination format of the second round, the stakes will likely be much higher.
"We are going to play to win, and in the process learn whatever we can that will help us succeed in the next round," Japan captain Shinnosuke Abe said Tuesday morning after practice.