Japan will submit bids to host the World Cup in either 2018 or 2022, Japan Football Association president Motoaki Inukai has confirmed.
Monday is the deadline to submit papers expressing an intent to bid and the JFA has already sent the forms to FIFA.
Bids are also expected from England, Spain/Portugal, Netherlands/Belgium/Luxembourg and Russia. Indonesia announced its candidacy Wednesday, joining Australia and Qatar.
The United States, with China and Mexico also considered likely contenders.
Japan co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea, but its bid for upcoming World Cups hinges on whether Tokyo is awarded the 2016 Olympics.
“We will definitely need the success of the 2016 Tokyo Olympics bid,” Inukai said. “If they don’t win it, it will be physically impossible for us to host the World Cup.”
FIFA will decide the 2018 and 2022 hosts in December 2010.
Next year’s World Cup is in South Africa, and the 2014 tournament is scheduled for Brazil.
