REIGNING champion Phil Taylor faces top Japanese ace Haruki Muramatsu when the 2016 Zipang Casino Tokyo Darts Masters begins on Wednesday.
The 16 - time World Champion has defeated Muramatsu in all three previous meetings, at the 2012 World Championship and twice at the PDC World Cup of Darts, and will lock horns with the 39-year-old when the World Series of Darts event begins at the Yoyogi Olympic Hall.
Muramatsu is the sport's most experienced Japanese player, having appeared in four World Championships as well as winning a PDC Tour Card in 2015, and Taylor is expecting a tough task in his first round challenge.
"The standard of darts is getting better and better all around the world." said 55-year-old Taylor, who edged out Peter Wright to win last year's event in Japan. "We don't have a chance to be complacent anymore and have to make sure we are at our best whenever we play."
Wright has drawn Chikara Fujimori for his first round, while recent Shanghai Darts Masters champion Michael van Gerwen will take on Masumi Chino.
World Champion Gary Anderson, a World Series winner in Dubai and Auckland this year, has drawn Seigo Asada, who has competed in the Lakeside Championship and BDO World Trophy this year.
Raymond van Barneveld meets Keita Ono, who was the Japanese qualifier for the 2016 World Championship and partnered Muramatsu in the PDC World Cup of Darts last month, while Saturday's Players Championship Ten winner Dave Chisnall is up against Shintaro Inoue.
Shanghai Darts Masters runner-up James Wade faces TV debutant Masahiro Hiraga, while another new face, Tsuneki Zaha, takes on two-time World Champion Adrian Lewis.
Following Wednesday's first round, the Zipang Casino Japan Darts Masters conclude on Thursday with the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Coverage will be live in Japan on JSport and available worldwide through the PDC's series of international broadcast partners, as well as at www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers.
UK coverage will be shown on ITV4 at 8pm BST on Wednesday and Thursday.
2016 Zipang Casino Tokyo Darts Masters
First Round Draw & Tournament Bracket
Gary Anderson (1) v Seigo Asada
Raymond van Barneveld v Keita Ono
Adrian Lewis (4) v Tsuneki Zaha
Peter Wright v Chikara Fujimori
Michael van Gerwen (2) v Masumi Chino
Dave Chisnall v Shintaro Inoue
James Wade (3) v Masahiro Hiraga
Phil Taylor v Haruki Muramatsu
Wednesday July 6
First Round Order of Play
Dave Chisnall v Shintaro Inoue
Raymond van Barneveld v Keita Ono
Peter Wright v Chikara Fujimori
Phil Taylor v Haruki Muramatsu
Adrian Lewis v Tsuneki Zaha
James Wade v Masahiro Hiraga
Michael van Gerwen v Masumi Chino
Gary Anderson v Seigo Asada
Best of 11 legs
Thursday July 7
Quarter-Finals
Semi-Finals
Final
Best of 15 legs
TV Coverage
JSport - Japan
Setanta - Ireland
Sky Sport - New Zealand
Fox Sports - Australia
RTL7 - Netherlands
Viasat - Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Bulgaria & Baltic States
OSN - Middle East & North Africa
Madison - China
PPTV Online - China
www.LIVEPDC.TV for International Pass Subscribers
ITV4 - UK - Delayed from 8pm-12am BST on both days