TOKYO — Hours before the start of a marquee showdown against Japan at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Saturday, South Korea manager Ryu Ji-hyun tried to downplay the magnitude of the occasion. "Of course, any game against Japan is very important. But for us, all four games in the first round here are important all the same," Ryu said at his pregame press conference at Tokyo Dome. "As I was preparing for this game, I thought of an ancient saying that highlighted the importance of a leader to take a look at the big picture. And that's how I am going to approach it." South Korea started Pool C play with an 11-4 win over Czechia on Thursday, while Japan began its WBC title defense with a 13-0 beatdown on Chinese Taipei on Friday. With the top two teams from the group progressing to the quarterfinals, South Korea and Japan have both positioned themselves well for a knockout trip. And with two more winnable games on the horizon for South Korea against Chinese Taipei and Australia, Ryu may have an option of not pushing the envelope too much to eke out a win against Japan -- especially si