Kenyas Maurine Chepkemoi will be aiming to add her name as a winner at the Osaka Womens Marathon.
This year's edition will have a new name as the winners of the previous editions will not be participating.
Out of the past seven editions, six have been won by Japanese women.
Also Read: Rich History of Kenya's Oldest Cross Country
Top of the list is Kenyas Maurine Chepkemoi and Ethiopia's Haven Hailu who have competed in the past with Chepkemoi emerging victorious.
Both competed at the 2021 Amsterdam Marathon each setting their personal best time. Chepkemoi finished a second ahead of Hailu.
In 2022 Chepkemoi took part in two marathons winning in Enschede and recording a disappointing finish in Berlin outside the top 10.
Her competitor Hailu won the 2022 Rotterdam Marathon. However, she failed to finish the race in her second competition in Chicago.
The 24-year-old Kenyan long-distance athlete will be hoping to join Catherine Ndereba and become the first Kenyan winner of this race since 2006
Also in contention for the title is Ethiopian Meseret Gola who has finished runner-up in four of her past six marathons setting her personal bets as 2:20:50 at the 2022 Seville Marathon.
Gola ad Chepkemoi took part in the 2022 Berlin Marathon where the Ethiopians finished fifth ahead of the Kenyans who finished 16th.
The race is scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 29 with the organisers making a few changes to the course for this year.