[2] They became an affiliate member of the ICC in 1989,[3] and the national team first played in the 1996 ACC Trophy, losing all their games including a 380-run defeat to Fiji.

[8] In 2004, they hosted the East Asia Pacific Cricket Challenge tournament as part of qualification for the 2007 World Cup, finishing third after beating Indonesia in a play-off.

[11] The following year they played in the 2006 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Brisbane finishing last in the three team tournament that also involved Fiji and the Cook Islands.

[12] In December 2007, Japan took part in the 2007 ICC EAP Cricket Trophy in Auckland, New Zealand, playing against the Cook Islands, Indonesia, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu.

[13] Japan won the tournament and qualified for Division Five of the World Cricket League where they finished in tenth place out of the twelve countries represented[14] in Jersey.