He has settled on a mindset that the team and staff must ensure they make the most of their opportunity for their game in Whangarēi on July 9.
Filipo said the announcement was exciting for the Māori All Blacks, Northland Rugby, local iwi, and New Zealand Rugby.
"The opportunity for the Māori All Blacks to once again have a crack at a Tier One team is an exciting prospect."
The Māori side would need to prepare well for the game, and making the most of a game against a Japan XV would be part of the build-up to the Scotland game.
Their games against Japan earlier this year exemplify what the Māori could expect when playing the Eddie Jones-coached Japan side.
"We did well in our first game, and as clever as he is in the second game, he provided us with a few surprises and caught us on the hop, which was a good lesson for our team.
"It'll be a really good first fixture to have leading into the Scotland match. The travel, as well, will help tie the boys in and get nice and tight so we can prepare well for the Scotland game."
Playing a game with a Six Nations team, Scotland is ranked sixth in the world, would mean a lot to the side.
"Scotland have made huge advancements within their game and are a hugely competitive Tier One nation now.
The players would be exposed to a completely different level of rugby.
"With that, there needs to be a different mindset around our preparation.
"For the Māori All Blacks, getting these opportunities, we have to make sure we nail them in order to keep stacking up more. So, there will be a ton of prep going into this because it's all about the work we do beforehand to make that on the day we can deliver.
"That keeps us in the conversation, and on the table, around playing other Tier One nations."
Filipo said the side's core would be from the players used in 2024, but he was mindful that more eligible players would emerge through Super Rugby Pacific.
"A handful of players put their hands up during the NPC, and we're hoping they continue that good form into Super Rugby. Then, we've got to look around what the makeup of the All Blacks squad is too.
"When it's time for us to assemble, we'll pull together the most competitive squad that we can and then make sure that we play a good game of Māori rugby."
It will be the first time the sides have met since 2000, a game which the Māori won 18-15 in New Plymouth. The side included two of Filipo's coaching group, Greg Feek and Roger Randle.
"It was a memorable day for them being able to get a win over Scotland but this team's really moved forward and brought itself into the future. They're super competitors now, and we've got to make sure that we match that."
Filipo also played against Scotland for the All Blacks at Murrayfield in their 32-6 win in 2008.