As far as Celtic signings are concerned in the Ange Postecoglou era, it's been all about the J-League so far. Or so it would seem.
Kyogo Furuhashi was a summer smash-hit and his success opened the floodgates to Postecoglou 's old stomping ground.
The boss was given the green light to go fishing in his old haunt ahead of the January window opened and three more promising signings followed.
Kyogo, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi look set to form the core of the Celtic team for years to come and the quadruple swoop has all eyes turning to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Postecoglou needs immediate results which explains why he is turning to players he trusts, and has undoubtedly scouted several times over the years.
But there is plenty more to the transfer strategy at Parkhead than raiding familiar territory for those the boss sees as sure things.
It could be seen as a scattergun policy but Celtic have cast the net far and wide in their search for the right players since the summer.
As well as Japan, there have been arrivals from Sweden, Poland, Israel, Portugal and of course England in the six short months since Postecoglou took the reins.
However he also seems to be keeping a close eye on a market that Scottish clubs are beginning to stand up and take notice of.
The League of Ireland.
While he hasn't hit the ground running quite like Kyogo, Jota or Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales has been a quiet success story since his dream move from Shamrock Rovers.
His slow but sure development into a capable Premiership defender comes after St Mirren's acquisitions of Jamie McGrath and Conor McCarthy - two signings that have shown the Irish and Scottish top flights to be more than compatible.
Ross Tierney, who signed for Motherwell from Bohemians on New Year's Day, explained that Brexit could be a factor in the success of recent imports.
New rules mean that players must be 18 before making the jump, and Tierney reckons that imposed patience means they are only now moving when the time is right.
Tierney, who cites McGrath as a major influence in his decision to join 'Well, said: "I think Brexit has helped with that as well, because you have to be 18 to go.
"The younger lads now are not going over at 16 and then falling off when they are 21.
"They are going through the ranks in 17s and 19s back home. Then they get the chance in the men's senior team."
Whatever the reason, it all points to more and more Scottish clubs taking advantage of the Irish market in the years ahead. That certainly seems to be a central part of Celtic's strategy, anyway.
Scales looks set to be joined by striker Johnny Kenny, who has only been eligible for a move since his 18th birthday in June, as he looks set to become the latest Irish starlet to try his luck in the SPFL.
We've also seen the Hoops linked with maverick playmaker Danny Mandroiu, the Dublin-born 23-year-old who has reaped the benefits of a controversial move from Boh's to Shamrock.
Mandroiu is a good friend of Scales - he wished him good luck following his dream move to Parkhead and appeared to hint at his own destiny lying in the UK.
“I’ll miss him a lot to be fair, he’s helped me here," he said at the time.
“A lot of players go from this league.
"Don’t get me wrong, I’m taking it day by day, I’m not looking too far ahead but Liam is a prime example of what can happen if you play well and get your head down. I’m delighted for him.”
Reports have suggested only Shamrock's reluctance to let Mandroiu go have halted Celtic's chances of signing him in January. But with his deal due to expire in November this year, that may be a different story come the summer.
Scottish football is growing increasingly fond of Irish talent, and the more signings that hit the ground running, the more eyes will turn to the Emerald Isle.
And with Scales, Kenny and Mandroiu all in the picture, it's clear that is becoming a central part of Celtic's expansive and far-reaching transfer strategy.
While the J-League may be Celtic's present as Postecoglou looks to build a team that can win now, it certainly seems the League of Ireland is one place the Hoops are looking to pave the way for the future.
