Japan women's national volleyball team

Japan
Nickname(s)	Nippon (火の鳥NIPPON)
Association	Japan Volleyball Association
Head coach	Kumi Nakada
FIVB ranking	8 (as of 30 May 2024)
Uniforms
Home	Away
Summer Olympics
Appearances	12 (First in 1964)
Best result	(1964, 1976)
World Championship
Appearances	15 (First in 1960)
Best result	(1962, 1967, 1974)
	http://www.jva.or.jp/ (:ja)
Olympic Games
World Championship
World Cup
World Grand Champions Cup
World Grand Prix
Asian Games
Asian Championship

The Japan women's national volleyball team (Hinotori Nippon, 火の鳥NIPPON), or All-Japan women's volleyball team, is currently ranked 6th^[4] in the world by FIVB. The current head coach is Kumi Nakada.

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.

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

International

Olympic Games

1964 – Gold Medal
1968 – Silver Medal
1972 – Silver Medal
1976 – Gold Medal
1984 – Bronze Medal
1988 – 4th place
1992 – 5th place
1996 – 9th place
2004 – 5th place (tied)
2008 – 5th place (tied)
2012 – Bronze Medal
2016 – 5th place (tied)
2020 – TBA

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

World Cup

1973 – Silver Medal
1977 – Gold Medal
1981 – Silver Medal
1985 – 4th place
1989 – 4th place
1991 – 7th place
1995 – 6th place
1999 – 6th place
2003 – 5th place
2007 – 7th place
2011 – 4th place
2015 – 5th place
2019 – 5th place

World Grand Champions Cup

1993 – 4th place
1997 – 5th place
2001 – Bronze Medal
2005 – 5th place
2009 – 4th place
2013 – Bronze Medal
2017 – 5th place
2021 – TBA

FIVB World Grand Prix

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

2018 – 10th place
2019 – 9th place

Montreux Volley Masters

1989 – Bronze Medal
2001 – Bronze Medal
2005 – 4th place
2009 – 7th place
2010 – 7th place
2011 – Gold Medal
2013 – 5th place
2014 – 6th place
2015 – Silver Medal
2019 – Silver Medal

Continental

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

Asian Championship

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

Asian Cup Volleyball Championship

2008 — 4th place
2010 — 4th place
2012 — 5th place
2014 — 4th place
2016 — 4th place
2018 — Silver Medal

Team

Current squad

The following is the Japanese roster in the 2019 Volleyball Women's World Cup.^[9]

Head coach: Kumi Nakada

No.	Name	Position	Date of birth	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	2019–20 club
2	Sarina Koga	WS/OH	21 May 1996	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	67 kg (148 lb)	302 cm (119 in)	290 cm (110 in)	NEC Red Rockets
3	Nana Iwasaka (c)	MB	3 July 1990	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)	75 kg (165 lb)	300 cm (120 in)	293 cm (115 in)	Hisamitsu Springs
4	Risa Shinnabe	OP	11 July 1990	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)	64 kg (141 lb)	292 cm (115 in)	285 cm (112 in)	Hisamitsu Springs
5	Erika Araki	MB	3 August 1984	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)	81 kg (179 lb)	305 cm (120 in)	297 cm (117 in)	Toyota Auto Body Queenseis
6	Haruka Miyashita	S	1 September 1994	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)	61 kg (134 lb)	290 cm (110 in)	272 cm (107 in)	Okayama Seagulls
7	Yuki Ishii	WS/OH	8 May 1991	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	68 kg (150 lb)	302 cm (119 in)	287 cm (113 in)	Hisamitsu Springs
11	Yurie Nabeya	WS	15 December 1993	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)	55 kg (121 lb)	305 cm (120 in)	292 cm (115 in)	Denso Airbees
12	Miya Sato	S	7 March 1990	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	62 kg (137 lb)	278 cm (109 in)	275 cm (108 in)	Hitachi Rivale
13	Mai Okumura	MB	31 October 1990	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)	69 kg (152 lb)	297 cm (117 in)	285 cm (112 in)	Denso Airybees
14	Mako Kobata	L	15 August 1992	1.64 m (5 ft 5 in)	56 kg (123 lb)	281 cm (111 in)	274 cm (108 in)	JT Marvelous
16	Ai Kurogo	WS/OH	14 June 1998	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	69 kg (152 lb)	306 cm (120 in)	295 cm (116 in)	Toray Arrows
18	Akane Yamagishi	L	8 January 1991	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)	55 kg (121 lb)	280 cm (110 in)	260 cm (100 in)	Saitama Ageo Medics
21	Miwako Osanai	WS	19 July 1997	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	67 kg (148 lb)	293 cm (115 in)	270 cm (110 in)	Hitachi Rivale
24	Aika Akutagawa	MB	3 April 1991	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	62 kg (137 lb)	300 cm (120 in)	280 cm (110 in)	JT Marvelous
28	Mayu Ishikawa	WS/OH	14 May 2000	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)	66 kg (146 lb)	300 cm (120 in)	285 cm (112 in)	Toray Arrows

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
Tomoko Yoshihara, Chie Tsuji, Miki Sasaki, Kanako Omura, Yoshie Takeshita, Miyuki Takahashi, Makiko Horai, Yuko Sano, Sachiko Sugiyama, Saori Kimura, Kana Oyama, and Megumi Kurihara. Head Coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament — 1st place (qualified)
Tomoko Yoshihara, Chie Tsuji, Ikumi Narita, Miki Sasaki, Kanako Omura, Yoshie Takeshita, Miyuki Takahashi, Sachiko Sugiyama, Ai Otomo, Kana Oyama, Megumi Kurihara, and Saori Kimura. Head Coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
2004 Olympic Games — 5th place (tied)
Tomoko Yoshihara, Chie Tsuji, Ikumi Narita, Miki Sasaki, Kanako Omura, Yoshie Takeshita, Miyuki Takahashi, Sachiko Sugiyama, Ai Otomo, Kana Oyama, Megumi Kurihara, and Saori Kimura. Head Coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
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)
Erika Araki, Miyuki Kano, Yuki Kawai, Saori Kimura, Megumi Kurihara, Kanako Omura, Yuka Sakurai, Yuko Sano, Miyuki Takahashi, Sachiko Sugiyama, Yoshie Takeshita, and Asako Tajimi. Head Coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
2008 Olympic Games — 5th place (tied)
Erika Araki, Miyuki Kano, Yuki Kawai, Saori Kimura, Megumi Kurihara, Kanako Omura, Yuka Sakurai, Yuko Sano, Miyuki Takahashi, Sachiko Sugiyama, Yoshie Takeshita, and Asako Tajimi. Head Coach: Shoichi Yanagimoto.
2010 World Championship — 3rd place
Megumi Kurihara, Hitomi Nakamichi, Yoshie Takeshita, Kaori Inoue, Ai Yamamoto, Yuko Sano, Mai Yamaguchi, Mizuho Ishida, Erika Araki, Saori Kimura, Yukiko Ebata, Saori Sakoda, Akiko Ino, and Kanari Hamaguchi, Head Coach: Masayoshi Manabe.
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.

References

^ "Nickname：HINOTORI NIPPON". jva.or.jp.
^ "JVA".
^ "AVC".
^ "FIVB Senior World Ranking - Women". The FIVB. FIVB. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
^ "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.
^ "Japan Team Roster". FIVB. Retrieved 28 September 2019.

External links

[1] "Nickname：HINOTORI NIPPON". jva.or.jp.

[2] "JVA".

[3] "AVC".

[4] "FIVB Senior World Ranking - Women". The FIVB. FIVB. Retrieved 14 December 2018.

[5] "LONDON 2012 VOLLEYBALL, VOLLEYBALL WOMEN". olympic.org. August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

[6] "Brazil, Japan reach semifinals". ESPN.com. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

[7] "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.

[8] "Japan beats South Korea for historic volleyball bronze". The Japan Times. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2015.

[9] "Japan Team Roster". FIVB. Retrieved 28 September 2019.

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v t e Women's National Volleyball Teams of Asia (AVC)
Asian Volleyball Confederation
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Zone 3 (EAZVA)	China Chinese Taipei Hong Kong Japan Macau Mongolia North Korea South Korea
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Zone 5 (OZVA)	American Samoa Australia Cook Islands FS of Micronesia Fiji French Polynesia Guam Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru New Zealand Niue Northern Mariana Islands Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu
Asian Women's Volleyball Championship