The encounter will be used as a warm-up for Japan's crucial World Cup qualifier against group leaders Australia in Yokohama a week later.

"We are going to have some decisive matches in the World Cup qualifiers in 2009, which is the most important thing for us in the coming year," Japan coach Takeshi Okada said during a news conference at the Japan Football Association headquarters in Tokyo.

"We are not going to change our style of football just because we are playing Finland. I'll take that opportunity to check the progress of the things we have been working on."

Prior to the two matches in February, Japan are scheduled to play Asian Cup qualifiers against Yemen in Kumamoto on January 20 and Bahrain in Manama on January 28.

In order to prepare for those games, Okada will hold a training camp from January 10 in Kagoshima.

Japan will face Bahrain again in the World Cup qualifiers on March 28 in Saitama before hosting the Kirin Cup tournament in late May as part of preparations for World Cup qualifiers in Uzbekistan on June 6, against Qatar in Yokohama on June 10 and in Australia on June 17.

"We'll play with our full strength to get through the qualifiers and make the year 2009 a successful one for ourselves, our supporters and Japanese football," Okada added.