Yokohama is this year’s first World Triathlon Championship Series event after the cancellation of the Abu Dhabi races due to severe weather warnings.
That came as a blow to Brownlee, who had intended to race there as he seeks to impress before the final places on the British team are confirmed.
With Abu Dhabi not taking place, the qualification process for the 2024 Olympics, which has a cut-off date of 27 May, will be condensed to Yokohama and Cagliari this month.
Beth Potter and Alex Yee were confirmed as the first two Great Britain triathletes to be selected for Paris in March, with a total of three women and two men set to be included in the team.
Having also missed the supertri-E event due to sickness, Brownlee is eager to compete this weekend and show the fitness levles he believes he has.
“I’m really looking forward to racing [and the] preparation has been good,” Brownlee said.
“I know I’m fit and I just want to show that I can still be competitive at the top level.”
Brownlee will be joined by Hugo Milner in a men’s race also featuring Olympic champion Kristian Blummenfelt and world champion Dorian Coninx.
In the women’s event, Britons Kate Waugh, Olivia Mathias, Sian Rainsley and Vicky Holland will all also hope to boost their Olympic hopes.
That race will also see Olympic Champion Flora Duffy and Rio 2016 gold medallist Gwen Jorgensen in action.