Tokyo, October 30, 2006: Who would swap places with Chinese Taipei?
Probably not many teams here at the women's World Championships, because Chinese Taipei must enter the lions' den on Tuesday evening and play Japan in the host country's opening match.
Yoyogi Gymnasium will be packed to the rafters with over 10,000 screaming fans, and it will be no place for the faint-hearted -- or for the hard-of-hearing.
As Asian rivals, Chinese Taipei know what to expect when they meet Japan on home territory, and hope to feed off the electric atmosphere themselves.
"Of course we will be a bit nervous, but we must do what we have been doing in training and stay united as a team," says 23-year-old wing spiker Lin Chun Yi.
"There will be many people supporting Japan, so we have to use this atmosphere to motivate us, too. It is a big challenge for us, and we still need to work hard."
According to the Japan Volleyball Association data base going back to 1993, Japan hold a 15-0 win-loss record over Chinese Taipei, with only three sets conceded in that time.
Lin, who joined the national team aged 15, and her team-mates will not rule out causing an upset, though.
"In this game it is not sure if you will win or not. It is a challenge and we will do our best."
Lin learned her English studying in Hawaii for three years -- but the weather she experienced there will be nothing compared to the white-hot temperature for Japan's opening World Championships match against Chinese Taipei on Tuesday evening.
