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 7th[4] in the world by FIVB. The head coach is Ferhat Akbaş.
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.[6]
Medals
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| Nations League | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| World Championship | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| World Grand Prix | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| World Cup | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| World Grand Champions Cup | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Asian Games | 5 | 4 | 4 | 13 |
| Asian Championship | 5 | 7 | 7 | 19 |
| Asian Cup | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Eastern Asian Championship | 6 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| Universiade | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Montreux Volley Masters | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Asian Cup | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Universiade | 2 | 5 | 4 | 11 |
| Total | 20 | 27 | 23 | 70 |
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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] Japan's opening match was on 25 July 2021 in Tokyo against Kenya.[11] They beat Kenya in their first match in straight sets[12] and lost against Serbia, Brazil, Korea and the Dominican Republic which caused them to miss the qualification for the quarterfinals.[13]
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
Gold Silver Bronze Fourth place
| Olympic Games record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL | |
| 1964 | Round robin | Gold | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 1 | |
| 1968 | Round robin | Silver | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 3 | |
| 1972 | Final | Silver | 5 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 3 | |
| 1976 | Final | Gold | 5 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 1980 | Did not participate | |||||||
| 1984 | Semifinals | Bronze | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 5 | |
| 1988 | Semifinals | Fourth place | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 12 | |
| 1992 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 9 | |
| 1996 | Group stage | 9th place | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | |||||||
| 2004 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | |
| 2008 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 14 | |
| 2012 | Semifinals | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 11 | |
| 2016 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 12 | |
| 2020 | Group stage | 10th place | 5 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 12 | |
| 2024 | Group stage | 9th place | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
| Total | 2 titles | 14/16 | 76 | 43 | 33 | 145 | 113 | |
World Championship
Champions Runners up Third place Fourth place
| World Championship record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | MW | ML | SW | SL |
| 1952 | Did not compete | ||||||
| 1956 | |||||||
| 1960 | Final places | Runners-up | 7 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 5 |
| 1962 | Final places | Champions | 9 | 9 | 0 | 27 | 1 |
| 1967 | Round robin | Champions | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 1970 | Final places | Runners-up | 9 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 5 |
| 1974 | Final places | Champions | 11 | 11 | 0 | 33 | 2 |
| 1978 | Final | Runners-up | 9 | 7 | 2 | 21 | 12 |
| 1982 | Semifinals | Fourth place | 9 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 9 |
| 1986 | 5th–8th places | 7th place | 8 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 14 |
| 1990 | 5th–8th places | 8th place | 7 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 13 |
| 1994 | 5th–8th places | 7th place | 7 | 4 | 3 | 14 | 11 |
| 1998 | 5th–8th places | 8th place | 8 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 12 |
| 2002 | First round | 13th place | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 10 |
| 2006 | 5th–8th places | 6th place | 11 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 18 |
| 2010 | Semifinals | Third place | 11 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 17 |
| 2014 | Second round | 7th place | 9 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 17 |
| 2018 | Third round | 6th place | 12 | 7 | 5 | 28 | 18 |
| 2022 | Quarterfinals | 5th place | 10 | 7 | 3 | 24 | 11 |
| 2025 | Semifinals | Fourth place | 7 | 5 | 2 | 18 | 11 |
| 2027 | To be determined | ||||||
| 2029 | |||||||
| Total | 3 titles | 18/22 | 152 | 106 | 46 | 356 | 186 |
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
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
- 2021 – 4th place
- 2022 – 7th place
- 2023 – 7th place
- 2024 – Silver Medal
- 2025 – 4th 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
- 2022 – Silver Medal
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
- 2021 – Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2023 – Bronze Medal
Asian Cup
- 2008 — 4th place
- 2010 — 4th place
- 2012 — 5th place
- 2014 — 4th place
- 2016 — 4th place
- 2018 — Silver Medal
- 2022 — Gold Medal
Head-to-head record
This page shows Japan women's national volleyball team's Head-to-head record at the Volleyball at the Summer Olympics, FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League.
| Opponent | GP | MW | ML |
|---|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Argentina | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Belgium | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Brazil | 14 | 1 | 13 |
| Bulgaria | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Cameroon | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Canada | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| China | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| Croatia | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Cuba | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Czechoslovakia | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Dominican Republic | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| East Germany | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| France | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Germany | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| Great Britain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Greece | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Hungary | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Italy | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| Kenya | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Netherlands | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| North Korea | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Peru | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Poland | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| Romania | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Russia | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Serbia | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| South Korea | 17 | 12 | 5 |
| Soviet Union | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Spain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Thailand | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Turkey | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| United States | 13 | 5 | 8 |
| Venezuela | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 164 | 94 | 70 |
Team
Current squad
The following is the Japan roster in the 2025 FIVB Women's Volleyball Nations League[14]
- Head coach: Ferhat Akbaş
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Position | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ayaka Araki | September 2, 2001 | MB | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) |
| 3 | Haruyo Shimamura | March 4, 1992 | MB | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 4 | Mayu Ishikawa (c) | May 14, 2000 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 6 | Nanami Seki | June 12, 1999 | S | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| 8 | Manami Kojima | November 7, 1994 | L | 158 cm (5 ft 2 in) |
| 11 | Nichika Yamada | February 24, 2000 | MB | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 12 | Satomi Fukudome | November 23, 1997 | L | 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) |
| 13 | Yukiko Wada | January 2, 2002 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 15 | Airi Miyabe | July 29, 1998 | MB | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 19 | Miiku Iwasawa | October 13, 1999 | OH | 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) |
| 22 | Tsukasa Nakagawa | August 13, 2000 | S | 159 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
| 26 | Yoshino Sato | November 12, 2001 | OH | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| 30 | Ayane Kitamado | July 6, 2004 | OH | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 33 | Miku Akimoto | August 18, 2006 | OH | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) |
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
- 2020 Summer Olympics — 10th Place
- Erika Araki (c), Ai Kurogo, Sarina Koga, Kanami Tashiro, Mayu Ishikawa, Haruyo Shimamura, Mako Kobata, Yuki Ishii, Mai Okumura, Aki Momii, Kotona Hayashi and Nichika Yamada, Head coach: Kumi Nakada
- 2022 World Championship — 5th Place
- Sarina Koga (c), Mami Uchiseto, Mayu Ishikawa, Haruyo Shimamura, Arisa Inoue, Aki Momii, Kotona Hayashi, Nichika Yamada, Satomi Fukudome, Mami Yokota, Airi Miyabe, Nanami Seki, Ameze Miyabe and Yoshino Sato, Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe.
- 2024 Summer Olympics — 9th Place
- Sarina Koga (c), Koyomi Iwasaki, Kotona Hayashi, Mayu Ishikawa, Nanami Seki, Manami Kojima, Arisa Inoue, Nichika Yamada, Satomi Fukudome, Airi Miyabe, Ayaka Araki and Yukiko Wada, Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe
- 2025 World Championship — 4th Place
- Mayu Ishikawa (c), Ayaka Araki, Haruyo Shimamura, Nanami Seki, Manami Kojima, Nichika Yamada, Satomi Fukudome, Yukiko Wada, Airi Miyabe, Miiku Iwasawa, Tsukasa Nakagawa, Yoshino Sato, Ayane Kitamado and Miku Akimoto, Head coach: Ferhat Akbaş.
Coaches history
- Tadayoshi Yokota
- Kuniaki Yoshida
- Nobushika Kuzuwa
- Masahiro Yoshikawa
- Shoichi Yanagimoto (2003–2008)
- Masayoshi Manabe (2008–2016; 2021–2024)
- Kumi Nakada (2016–2021)[15][16]
- Ferhat Akbaş (2025–present)
Gallery
1964 Tokyo Olympics Women's Volleyball
-
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
- Japan women's national under-23 volleyball team
- Japan women's national under-20 volleyball team
- Japan women's national under-18 volleyball team
- Attack No. 1
- Japan men's national volleyball team
References
- ^ "Nickname：HINOTORI NIPPON". jva.or.jp. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "JVA". Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "The FIVB Women's World Ranking". FIVB. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
- ^ "FIVB Senior World Ranking - Women". The FIVB. FIVB. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
- ^ "Remembering Volleyball's 'Oriental Witches' - The New York Times". Archived from the original on 14 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
- ^ "LONDON 2012 VOLLEYBALL, VOLLEYBALL WOMEN". olympic.org. August 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. 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. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "Japan beats South Korea for historic volleyball bronze". The Japan Times. 12 August 2012. Archived from the original on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
- ^ "Kenya Unveil Roster For The Tokyo Olympics". fivb.com. 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Kenya Unveil Roster For The Tokyo Olympics". This is Volleyball. 26 June 2021. Archived from the original on 27 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+. Archived from the original on 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Japan VNL 2025". Volleyball World. Retrieved 6 August 2025.
- ^ "New women's volleyball coach Nakada ready for challenge". japantimes.co.jp. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. 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
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Japan women's national volleyball team.