Host broadcaster TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) is recording high viewer ratings for the nine days of play so far, with just the last two days to come in Osaka on November 15-16.

Japan's final Pool A match in Tokyo against Poland on Sunday, November 5, produced the highest viewer rating of 20.6 per cent -- or around 2.5 million households in the Kanto area centered around Tokyo.

The ratings for the four Pool E matches in the second round were 18.4 for Cuba last Wednesday evening, 19.4 for Turkey on Thursday, 19.3 for Serbia and Montenegro on Saturday and 19.5 for Italy on Sunday night in Nagoya.

That means well over 2 million households tuned in for each of Japan's four second-round matches.

"These are good figures and overall we are happy," says TBS director Yoshihiro Enatsu.

"We could have expected a little bit more, especially for the games against Serbia and Montenegro and Italy," he added.

"We expected to get more than 20 per cent for those matches, but when we heard the figures we were not that surprised. We were close."

The TBS operation involves more than 100 staff, three massive Outside Broadcast vans and 20 cameras in the venue, including three "super slow" models to highlight the skills and emotions of the high-speed sport.

"This is one of the biggest live broadcast facilities we have ever put together, more than we do for football and for basketball," he adds.

The TBS figures for the FIVB World Championships compare favourably with the ratings they record for Japan's favourite past time, baseball. These vary from 8 per cent to 12 per cent throughout the summer, so there is no doubting the special place volleyball still holds in the hearts of the Japanese people.

"The head coach of the women's team, Yanagimoto-kantoku, is very famous in Japan, and the players are well known to the people of Japan, not just to volleyball fans," says Enatsu. "It is good that the women's championship is being held before the men's championship, and if we average 17 per cent for both competitions we will be very satisfied."

The TBS ratings for each Japan match are: First round, Chinese Taipei, 15.6 per cent; Costa Rica, 14.7; Kenya, 17.1; Korea, 18.5; Poland, 20.6. Second round, Cuba, 18.4; Turkey, 19.4; Serbia and Montenegro 19.3; Italy 19.5.

Note: 20 per cent is the equivalent of 2.5 million households in the Kanto area, centered around Tokyo.