Scotland take no risks
The two countries go head-to-head in a World Cup Pool B match in Gloucester on Wednesday.
Laidlaw will lead a side mixed with experienced players such as himself and younger ones – none of them used to much success on the pitch – as coach Vern Cotter seeks to get off to a winning start in their first game of the Pool B campaign.
The Scots are yet to lose to Japan in four meetings – their last match resulted in a 42-17 thrashing in November 2013 – but Japan's thrilling 34-32 victory over two-time world champions South Africa has put everyone on guard: the 'Brave Blossoms' are not here to make up the numbers.
"We've prepared well for what will be a very tough Test against a powerful and fit Japanese team, who like to play a high-tempo game," said Cotter.
"They [Japan] will have taken a lot of confidence from their opening win over South Africa however that doesn't change our approach to this game or the pool.
"The priority for us is to ensure that we get our jobs right with accuracy, and impose ourselves on the game," added the 53-year-old New Zealander, who has been in charge since May 2014.
Laidlaw, who will win his 42nd cap at his club's home ground, will be partnered at halfback by Finn Russell.
Wing Sean Lamont will win his 98th cap, while in the scrum New Zealand-born flank John Hardie, who was controversially included in Cotter's squad rather than the experienced John Barclay, will start.
Hardie, 27, who qualified for Scotland through his Fife-born grandparents, only arrived on Scottish soil for the first time in July and has less than an hour of Test action to his credit.
Hardie is accompanied by another foreign-born player in the back row – Zimbabwean No.8 David Denton.
Denton has a Scottish mother, although he has been part of the scene for much longer and will win his 29th cap.
In the front row South African prop Willem Nel will make his World Cup debut for his adopted country, after having met the residency requirement earlier this year.
And on the replacement bench is Josh Strauss, another South African who qualified on residency basis.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tommy Seymour, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Sean Lamont, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw (captain), 8 David Denton, 7 John Hardie, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Jonny Gray, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 William Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Ryan Grant, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Richie Gray, 20 Josh Strauss, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Peter Horne, 23 Sean Maitland.
Date: Wednesday, September 23
Venue: Kingsholm Stadium, Gloucester
Kick-off: 14.30 (13.30 GMT, 22.30 Japan time)
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Marius Mitrea (Italy)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Agence France-Presse
