Japan has ambitious plans to become a basketball powerhouse but a row involving star player Rui Hachimura and disagreements over the domestic league's direction mean success is anything but a slam dunk.

Once a minnow on the world stage, Japan qualified for last year's Paris Olympics and took eventual silver medalist France to overtime in the group phase, helped by a handful of NBA-affiliated players, including Los Angeles Lakers forward Hachimura.

At home, the B. League is enjoying record attendances and revenue, with new arenas being built and ambitions to become the second-best league in the world behind North America's NBA.