(Reuters) Officials from Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Mongolia and Guam are scheduled to meet in Tokyo at the weekend to discuss the establishment of the East Asian Football Federation, which would function under the auspices of the AFC.
North Korean officials have yet to confirm whether they will travel to Tokyo, the sources said.
One reason for the creation of the new body is to give East Asian countries more clout within the AFC, currently dominated by Middle Eastern associations.
The Japan Football Association (JFA) would play a leading role and has plans to stage a regional tournament sanctioned by the new federation.
Japan, China and South Korea would qualify automatically for the four-team main draw, which could start as soon as next year, with the other berth to be taken by the winners of the qualifying competition.
Last December, the JFA nominated vice president Junji Ogura, who is also an executive member of the Japanese World Cup organising committee (JAWOC), to run for a place on the executive committee of soccer's world governing body FIFA.
Ogura will face stiff competition from Abdullah Al Dabal of Saudi Arabia and Worawi Makudi of Thailand, who are chasing re-election next May through voting by AFC members.
East Asian football associations are poised to form a regional governing body in the next week in a bid to increase their influence within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Asian sources have said.
