With the North Korean national team set to arrive today for this week's World Cup qualifying match against Japan, resident Koreans are bracing for one of the most highly charged sporting events ever played in Japan.

About 100 resident Koreans plan to greet the team at Narita International Airport, according to the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan.

As many as 5,000 Koreans are expected to be on hand to cheer the team when it plays Japan's national team at Saitama Stadium on Wednesday.

While organizers have made preparations to separate the Korean supporters from the Japanese in and around the stadium, Korean officials were taking their own precautions to prevent clashes.

The Tokyo Korean Junior and Senior High School in Kita Ward, alma mater of North Korean national and J.League midfielder An Yong Hak, is sending 600 students and faculty members to the match.

The game holds special meaning for many students.

``It is the first time to see my country's national team play, so it is very important,'' said Kang Song Ho, a sophomore player with the Korean school soccer team.

He acknowledged that being a resident Korean in Japan made it difficult to root for one side.

``I really hope that both sides play their best,'' Kang said.

The 30-member school brass band has rehearsed about 10 melodies, mainly Korean folk songs and marches, to support the players.

``We hope to play the school anthem to cheer up An. But we might not be able to play at Wednesday's match,'' said Kwong Dal In, supervisor of the school band.

There are regulations against playing musical instruments in the stadium, Kwong said. But he added that the same brass band had played during matches in the past, most recently at an international women's soccer match.

But he said he feared that the tension surrounding Wednesday's qualifier would make it difficult to perform, except during halftime.

Some worried that hype surrounding the game was spoiling an otherwise enjoyable event.

``All the kids are thinking about is soccer,'' said Kim Jong Song, coach of the North Korean school's soccer team and a former North Korean national player.(IHT/Asahi: February 7,2005)