Japan women's national volleyball team
The Japan women's national volleyball team (Hinotori Nippon, 火の鳥NIPPON), or All-Japan women's volleyball team, is currently ranked 6th[3] in the world by FIVB. The head coach is Masayoshi Manabe.
.svg.png.webp){kind=icon}
.svg.png.webp){kind=icon}
.svg.png.webp){kind=icon}
One of their greatest successes was at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, when they defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to the gold medal.
Japan was qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics by winning the Women's Olympic Qualifier that was held from 8 May to 16 May in Tokyo, Japan. In Athens, Greece the team took fifth place in the overall-rankings.
Finally after almost three decades of medal drought in the Olympics, Japan took home the bronze medal by defeating South Korea in the 2012 Summer Olympics.[5]
History
2012 London Olympics
Japan qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics as the best Asian team in the 2012 FIVB Women's World Olympic Qualification Tournament. In the 2012 Olympics, Japan had been placed on Group A with Russian Federation, Italy, Dominican Republic, the host Great Britain and Algeria. Japan finished third in the Group. In the quarter-finals, Japan faced their old Asian rival China. Saori Kimura and Yukiko Ebata each scored 33 points in this thrilling game in which China were beaten by 3–2.[6] It was their first win over China in 11 years as far as FIVB games are concerned. On 9 August 2012, the Japanese were outplayed by the defending champions Brazil in the semi-finals.[7] On 11 August 2012, Japan beat South Korea 3–0 in the bronze medal match. It is the first Olympics' volleyball medal for the Japanese since the 1984 Summer Olympics.[8] On August 13, 2012, Japan Women's Team was ranked 3rd in the world behind United States women's national volleyball team and Brazil women's national volleyball team.
2020 Tokyo Olympics
Japan was the host nation for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The other teams in their group in Tokyo were Kenya, Serbia, Brazil, Korea and the Dominican Republic.[9] Japan's opening match was on 25 July 2021 in Tokyo against Kenya.[10] They beat Kenya in their first match in straight sets [11] and lost against Serbia, Brazil, Korea and the Dominican Republic which caused them to miss the qualification for the quarterfinals.[12]
Winner of 6 major world titles
| Year | Games | Host | Runner-up | 2nd Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 # | 4th World Championship | USSR |  USSR |  Poland |
| 1964 # | Tokyo Olympic Games | Japan | USSR | Poland |
| 1967 # | 5th World Championship | Japan |  USA |  South Korea |
| 1974 & | 7th World Championship | Mexico | USSR | South Korea |
| 1976 & | Montreal Olympic Games | Canada | USSR | South Korea |
| 1977 & | 2nd World Cup | Japan |  Cuba | South Korea |
#, & – Twice 3 Straight Major titles in 1960s and 1970s
(World Women's Volleyball Championship, World Cup, Olympic Games)
Results
Olympic Games
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
World Championship
1960 – 
Silver Medal- 1962 –
Gold Medal 
1967 – Gold Medal
1970 – Silver Medal
1974 – Gold Medal- 1978 – Silver Medal
1982 – 4th place
1986 – 7th place
1990 – 8th place- 1994 – 7th place
- 1998 – 8th place
2002 – 13th place- 2006 – 6th place
- 2010 –
Bronze Medal 
2014 – 7th place- 2018 – 6th place
2022 – 5th place
World Cup
World Grand Champions Cup
FIVB World Grand Prix
.svg.png.webp)
1993 – 6th place- 1994 – 4th place
- 1995 – 7th place
- 1996 – 8th place
- 1997 – 4th place
1998 – 7th place- 1999 – 7th place
2000 – 8th place
2001 – 6th place- 2002 – 5th place
- 2003 – 9th place
- 2004 – 9th place
- 2005 – 5th place
- 2006 – 6th place
- 2007 – 9th place
- 2008 – 6th place
- 2009 – 6th place
- 2010 – 5th place
- 2011 – 5th place
- 2012 – 9th place
- 2013 – 4th place
- 2014 –
Silver Medal - 2015 – 6th place
2016 – 9th place- 2017 – 7th place
FIVB Nations League
Montreux Volley Masters
Asian Games
1962 – 
Gold Medal- 1966 – Gold Medal
- 1970 – Gold Medal
1974 – Gold Medal- 1978 – Gold Medal
1982 – 
Silver Medal- 1986 – Silver Medal
- 1990 –
Bronze Medal - 1994 – Bronze Medal
- 1998 – Bronze Medal
- 2002 – Bronze Medal
2006 – Silver Medal- 2010 – 6th place
- 2014 – 4th place
- 2018 – 4th place
- 2022 – Silver Medal
Asian Championship
.svg.png.webp)
1975 – 
Gold Medal- 1979 – Silver Medal
- 1983 – Gold Medal
- 1987 – Silver Medal
- 1989 –
Bronze Medal - 1991 – Silver Medal
- 1993 – Silver Medal
- 1995 – Bronze Medal
- 1997 – Bronze Medal
- 1999 – Bronze Medal
- 2001 – 4th place
2003 – Silver Medal- 2005 – Bronze Medal
- 2007 – Gold Medal
- 2009 – Bronze Medal
2011 – Silver Medal- 2013 – Silver Medal
- 2015 – 6th place
- 2017 – Gold Medal
- 2019 – Gold Medal
- 2021 – Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2023 – Bronze Medal
Team
Current squad
The following is the Japan roster in the 2023 Volleyball Nations League
Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Pos | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miyu Nagaoka | 25 July 1991 | OP | 179 cm (5 ft 10 in) | 64 kg (141 lb) |
| 2 | Kotona Hayashi | 13 November 1999 | OH | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | 60 kg (130 lb) |
| 3 | Sarina Nishida | 21 May 1996 | OH | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | 66 kg (146 lb) |
| 4 | Mayu Ishikawa | 14 May 2000 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | 64 kg (141 lb) |
| 6 | Nanami Seki | 12 June 1999 | S | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) | 62 kg (137 lb) |
| 7 | Mika Shibata | 7 June 1994 | S | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) | 60 kg (130 lb) |
| 10 | Arisa Inoue | 8 May 1995 | OH | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | 68 kg (150 lb) |
| 11 | Nichika Yamada | 24 February 2000 | MB | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | 74 kg (163 lb) |
| 12 | Satomi Fukudome | 23 November 1997 | L | 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) | 61 kg (134 lb) |
| 16 | Yuka Meguro | 16 January 1996 | L | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) | 60 kg (130 lb) |
| 23 | Airi Miyabe | 29 July 1998 | MB | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) | 66 kg (146 lb) |
| 24 | Mai Irisawa | 2 June 1999 | MB | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) | 72 kg (159 lb) |
| 29 | Minami Nishimura | 23 March 2000 | L | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) | 64 kg (141 lb) |
| 37 | Yukiko Wada | 8 January 2002 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) | 56 kg (123 lb) |
Former squads
- 1994 squad:
Head coach: Tadayoshi Yokota
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | 1994 club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motoko Obayashi | 15.06.67 | 182 cm (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 2 | Aki Nagatomi | 17.07.69 | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | Hitachi |
| 3 | Chie Natori | 09.08.69 | 176 cm (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 4 | Mika Yamauchi | 07.10.69 | 182 cm (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 6 | Tomoko Yoshihara | 04.02.70 | 179 cm (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 7 | Kiyoko Fukuda | 04.08.70 | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | Hitachi |
| 8 | Miho Murata | 03.09.70 | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | Hitachi |
| 9 | Asako Tajimi | 26.02.72 | 179 cm (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 12 | Yumi Natta | 12.07.69 | 161 cm (5 ft 3+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 13 | Naomi Eto | 12.07.72 | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in) | Hitachi |
| 16 | Maki Fujiyoshi | 24.05.74 | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | Hitachi |
| 17 | Miyuki Shimasaki | 13.10.74 | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | Hitachi |
| 5 | Kazuyo Matsukawa | 07.01.70 | 181 cm (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 10 | Kumiko Sakamoto | 13.12.72 | 177 cm (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 14 | Minako Onuki | 15.10.72 | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | NEC |
| 15 | Miho Ota | 27.10.73 | 179 cm (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 18 | Eiko Yasui | 08.05.71 | 164 cm (5 ft 4+1⁄2 in) | Kanagawa |
- 1996 Olympic Games — 9th place (tied)
- Kaiyo Hoshini, Aki Nagatomi, Kazumi Nakamura, Chieko Nakanishi, Motoko Obayashi, Ikumi Ogake, Mika Saiki, Kiyomi Sakamoto, Asako Tajimi, Chiho Torii, Mika Yamauchi, and Tomoko Yoshihara. Head coach: Kuniaki Yoshida.
- 1999 FIVB World Cup — 6th place
- Naomi Eto, Megumi Itabashi, Chikako Kumamae, Hitomi Mitsunaga, Junko Moriyama, Ikumi Ogake, Minako Onuki, Yuka Sakurai, Miki Sasaki, Hiromi Suzuki, Asako Tajimi, and Hiroko Tsukumo. Head coach: Nobushika Kuzuwa.
- 2002 World Championship — 14th place
- Makiko Horai, Sachiko Kodama, Chikako Kumamae, Hisako Mukai, Kanako Naito, Minako Onuki, Ai Otomo, Kana Oyama, Yuko Sano, Sachiko Sugiyama, Miyuki Takahashi, and Shinako Tanaka. Head coach: Masahiro Yoshikawa.
- 2003 FIVB World Cup — 5th place
- 2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament — 1st place (qualified)
- 2004 Olympic Games — 5th place (tied)
- 2005 FIVB World Grand Prix — 5th place
- Erika Araki, Makiko Horai, Megumi Itabashi, Ayako Onuma, Ai Otomo, Yuka Sakurai, Miki Shimada, Kaoru Sugayama, Sachiko Sugiyama, Yoshie Takeshita, Miyuki Takahashi, and Chie Yoshizawa. Head coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
- 2008 Olympic Qualification Tournament — 3rd place (qualified)
- 2008 Olympic Games — 5th place (tied)
- 2010 World Championship — 3rd place
- 2012 Olympic Games — Bronze Medal
- Erika Araki (c), Saori Kimura, Yoshie Takeshita, Yukiko Ebata, Kaori Inoue, Ai Otomo, Yuko Sano, Mai Yamaguchi, Risa Shinnabe, Saori Sakoda, Maiko Kano, and Hitomi Nakamichi, Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe.
- 2014 World Championship
- Saori Kimura (c), Miyu Nagaoka, Hitomi Nakamichi, Arisa Takada, Arisa Satō, Mai Yamaguchi, Mizuho Ishida, Yuki Ishii, Risa Shinnabe, Yukiko Ebata, Saori Sakoda, Kana Ōno, Sayaka Tsutsui, and Haruka Miyashita, Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe.
- 2016 Olympic Games — 5th place
- Saori Kimura (c), Miyu Nagaoka, Arisa Satō, Mai Yamaguchi, Yuki Ishii, Saori Sakoda, Haruka Miyashita, Kanami Tashiro, Erika Araki, Yurie Nabeya, Haruyo Shimamura and Kotoki Zayasu, Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe.
- 2018 World Championship — 6th Place
- Nana Iwasaka (c), Koyomi Tominaga, Kanami Tashiro, Erika Araki, Mai Okumura, Haruyo Shimamura, Risa Shinnabe, Yuki Ishii, Sarina Koga, Ai Kurogo, Mami Uchiseto, Miyu Nagaoka, Kotoe Inoue, Mako Kobata, Head coach: Kumi Nakada.
- 2020 Summer Olympics — 10th Place
- Erika Araki (c), Ai Kurogo, Sarina Koga, Mai Okumura, Haruyo Shimamura, Yuki Ishii, Mayu Ishikawa, Kanami Tashiro, Mako Kobata, Nichika Yamada, Kotona Hayashi and Aki Momii, Head coach: Kumi Nakada
Coaches history
- Tadayoshi Yokota
- Kuniaki Yoshida
- Nobushika Kuzuwa
- Masahiro Yoshikawa
- Shoichi Yanagimoto (2003–2008)
- Masayoshi Manabe (2008–2016; 2021–present)
- Kumi Nakada (2016–2021)[13][14]
Gallery
Sata Isobe spiking ball against Soviet Union National Team, 1964 Tokyo Olympics Women's Volleyball
Emiko Miyamoto at the 1964 Olympics
Yuriko Handa at the 1964 Olympics- Masae Kasai standing in the center of podium as the team leader, 1964 Tokyo Olympics Women's Volleyball
See also
References
- "Nickname：HINOTORI NIPPON". jva.or.jp.
- "JVA".
- "FIVB Senior World Ranking - Women". The FIVB. FIVB. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- Remembering Volleyball's 'Oriental Witches' - The New York Times
- "LONDON 2012 VOLLEYBALL, VOLLEYBALL WOMEN". olympic.org. August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- "Brazil, Japan reach semifinals". ESPN.com. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- "Japan humbled by Brazil in women's volleyball semifinals, to play S. Korea for bronze". The Japan Times. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- "Japan beats South Korea for historic volleyball bronze". The Japan Times. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- "Kenya Unveil Roster For The Tokyo Olympics". fivb.com. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- "Kenya Unveil Roster For The Tokyo Olympics". This is Volleyball. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
- "Malkia Strikers go down to Japan in Olympics opener". Citizentv.co.ke. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- NEWS, KYODO. "Olympics: Dominican Republic ends Japan women's volleyball quest". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- "New women's volleyball coach Nakada ready for challenge". japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- "女子バレー 中田久美監督が退任「不本意な結果、大変申し訳ない」後任は未定" (in Japanese). yahoo.co.jp. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
External links
- Official website (in English)
- 2020 roster
- FIVB profile
- Video of the moments of victory and of awarding gold medal in 1964 Tokyo Olympics
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
.svg.png.webp){kind=small}
FIVB Volleyball World Cup winners | |
|---|---|
AVC Asian Championship winners | |
|---|---|
AVC Asian Cup winners | |
|---|---|