Australia and Japan will lock horns en route to the 2010 World Cup after the draw for the final round of Asian qualifying.

Australia were drawn alongside Japan in the fourth round of Asian World Cup qualifying in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

With a potential five places available for South Africa 2010 for Asian teams, the Socceroos switched from the Oceania group in 2006 in favour of more regular and more competitive fixtures.

Pim Verbeek`s side topped Group One of the third qualifying round, finishing above Qatar, while Asian Cup champions Iraq and China were eliminated.

Their reward was a number one seeding, thus avoiding fellow number one seeds South Korea, in one of two round-robin groups of five teams for the final round of qualifying.

Australia and Japan are joined in Group A by Bahrain, Uzbekistan and Qatar.

South Korea face neighbours North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Group B.

The top two countries in each group will go straight to the 2010 World Cup, while the two third-placed teams will play-off to then challenge the winner of the Oceania group in a two-legged contest.