Alberto Zaccheroni took over Japan in August keen to build on their best performance at a World Cup on foreign soil after they reached the last 16 in South Africa, and has been set the task of finishing at least third in the January 7-29 tournament.
However, the Italian, who began his reign with a surprise 1-0 win over a full-strength Argentina and has seen 21-year-old attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa flourish in his debut season at Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund, is in confident mood.
"Going out with this line-up, we should not fear any opponent," Zaccheroni, who won Serie A with AC Milan in 1999, said.
CSKA Moscow's free-kick specialist Keisuke Honda and former AFC Player of the Year Yasuhito Endo also provide creativity for the Blue Samurai who face Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia in Group B.
The Saudis, who knocked Japan out of the 2007 tournament, failed to reach the World Cup finals for the first time since 1990 and the Gulf side's Portuguese boss Jose Peseiro is the most under-pressure coach at the Asian Cup.
Australia (26th) are the highest ranked team in the tournament according to world governing body FIFA but, with an ageing side that failed to deliver at last year's World Cup, they have been keen to play down expectations.
Thirty-somethings Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell, Mark Schwarzer, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton will again lead the Socceroos' charge as they attempt to improve on their quarter-final exit in their debut Asian Cup showing four years ago.
"It's very difficult for me to consider ourselves favourites," Cahill said. "I'm a realist and I haven't been in camp long enough. I haven't been with the side long enough. The other teams have been together longer."
The Koreans, who reached the last 16 of the World Cup, will look to in-form midfielders Park Ji-sung of Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers' Lee Chung-yong for inspiration but need someone to convert the chances they create to win a third title.
"We can't keep worrying about Park Chu-young's injury," said South Korea coach Cho Kwang-rae. "Football is not an individual sport and if each of the 23 players can come together we can overcome this problem."
