Daisuke Takahashi is the hot favourite to become the first Japanese winner of the men's event at this week's world championships.

The in-form Takahashi has won every competition he has entered this season, with the exception of the Grand Prix final, and last month broke two world records held by Olympic champion Yevgeny Plushenko.

"I don't have any pressure (to be Japan's first world champion in the event), I'm just excited," world number one Takahashi said.

"I really want to take the gold medal home to Japan."

In February he won the Four Continents trophy in Goyang, South Korea, scoring 175.84 points in the free programme and an overall 264.41 points to break Russian Plushenko's two records.

Takahashi, who landed two quadruple jumps in a flawless long programme in Korea, has no doubt he can eclipse holder Brian Joubert of France and former champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland this week.

Runner-up at the world championships on home ice in Tokyo last year, Takahashi said he may have to repeat his Four Continents display to take gold here.

"I might have to perform like I did at the Four Continents or even better (to win)," he said.

"Last year (in Tokyo) there was a lot of pressure. There's less this year, it's more exciting. I have an even stronger desire this year to become world champion."

The battle for gold in the women's event could turn into an all-Asian affair between Japanese pair Miki Ando and Mao Asada and South Korean Kim Yu-na.

Holder Ando, the only woman to have landed a quadruple jump in competition, has yet to win this season while Asada triumphed at the Four Continents event.

Kim, the 2007 ISU Grand Prix final winner, missed the Four Continents with a hip injury and said she was still not 100 percent fit.

American Kimmie Meissner, the 2006 world champion, and Italy's European champion Carolina Kostner could also challenge for the title.

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Reuters