Japan’s national women’s volleyball team returns to the FIVB VNL 2019 with plenty of motivation as it begins the build-up towards the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Japan is the most dangerous threat to defending champion United States within its pool in this tournament. 

Watch the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League LIVE on FloVolleyball

Quickness and sturdy defensive play make it a pesky opponent. With just over a year before the Games, how will Japan maximize the FIVB Volleyball Nations League to lay down the groundwork for its loftier Olympic aspirations?

FIVB VNL 2018 record & stats

Win/loss: 7 - 8 

Points: 20 

Sets win/loss/ratio: 27 - 31 - 0.871 (10th) 

Points win/loss/ratio: 1209 - 1273 - 0.950 (8th) 

Final position: 10th

What's new for Japan in FIVB VNL 2019?

The most significant development for the Japanese squad is a coaching shuffle which saw it lose a vital asset in assistant coach Ferhat Akbas. The Turkish coach spent a short four months with the team but helped head coach Kumi Nakada guide Japan to a sixth-place finish when hosting the 2018 World Championships. 

In an episode of the Free Ball volleyball podcast, Akbas, 32, admitted he chose to take a risk and coach the Bucuresti club team in Romania to continue his development as a coach instead of working full-time for Japan’s national team. 

“In my opinion, experience on the court is much better than watching the games outside,” said Akbas, who earlier in his career was mentored by China’s Lang Ping, still the only person to win Olympic golds as a player and as a coach. 

The timing of the move earlier this year means Nakada will have to make adjustments once more with a new assistant coach, and ensure the team is able to build on its gains from the World Championships.

Japan world ranking: 6th

Japan FIVB VNL 2019 match schedule

Week 1

May 21 at 10:30 AM CT - Bulgaria v Japan 

May 22 at 9 AM CT - Japan v USA 

May 23 at 9 AM CT - Belgium v Japan

Week 2

May 28 at 9:30 AM CT - Turkey v Japan 

May 29 at 6:30 AM CT - Japan v Russia 

May 30 at 6:30 AM CT - Japan v Germany

Week 3

June 4 at 7:30 AM CT - China v Japan 

June 5 at 4:30 AM CT - Italy v Japan 

June 6 at 4:30 AM CT - Japan v Netherlands

Week 4

June 11 at 5:10 AM CT - Japan v Brazil 

June 12 at 5:10 AM CT - Japan v Serbia 

June 13 at 5:10 AM CT - Japan v Thailand

Week 5

June 18 at 2 AM CT - Japan v Poland 

June 19 at 5 AM CT - Korea v Japan 

June 20 at 2 AM CT - Japan v Dominican Republic

Japan games to watch out for in FIVB VNL 2019

Given Japan's speed, size and athleticism, it should be fun to watch them against the Asian teams with a similar style such as Thailand and South Korea. The Japanese are likely to dominate the Thais but it would be exciting to watch a battle between these two Asian powerhouses. 

Japan's match against the US is one to watch as well. The Americans are the clear frontrunners but the Japanese remain their most challenging foe within Pool 2 on Week 1. 

The US swept Japan when they met at last year's FIVB VNL but it will be interesting to see whether the Japanese can put up a better fight – or perhaps pull off at least a one-set upset – this time around.

Japan provisional FIVB VNL 2019 roster

Head coach: Kumi Nakada 

Setters: Koyomi Tominaga, Haruka Miyashita, Miya Sato, Kanami Tashiro, Nanami Seki 

Liberos: Kotoe Inoue, Akane Yamagishi, Mako Kobata Middle 

Blockers: Erika Araki, Nana Iwasaka, Mai Okumura, Aika Akutagawa, Haruyo Shimamura, Aya Watanabe, Mai Irisawa 

Wing Spikers (Outside & Opposite Hitters): Risa Shinnabe, Yuki Ishii, Mami Uchiseto, Yurie Nabeya, Yuka Imamura, Sarina Koga, Ai Kurogo, Miyu Nakagawa, Miwako Osanai, Yuri Yoshino, Reina Tokoku, Mayu Ishikawa, Ameze Miyabe 

Average age: 25.3 (5th oldest) 

Average height: 175.7cm (15th tallest)

Japan players to watch in the FIVB VNL 2019: Yuki Ishii, Kotoe Inoue, Sarina Koga

Japan will likely be anchored once more by the defense of libero Kotoe Inoue and by the offense of outside hitter Yuki Ishii. But wing spiker Sarina Koga also emerged as sources of offensive firepower during last year’s World Championships. 

Koga, in particular, was the fifth best scorer in that tournament with a total of 171 points. 

Setter Kanami Tashiro is also worth keeping an eye on, having been the fifth best setter at last year’s Nations League. Japan is a relatively experienced squad with many of its players in their mid to late 20s, right in the prime of their careers. 

Interestingly, the team will also be infused with international experience this year with two of its players - Inoue and Tashiro - gaining valuable mileage in Romania playing for the club team of their former assistant coach Akbas. [suggested image location]

The bottom line: Can defense and willpower carry Japan all the way in FIVB VNL 2019?

Japan is best known for its scrappy defense. What this team lacks in size it makes up for in physicality and tremendous effort. It has been able to dominate continental competition with plenty of success in the Asian Games, the Asian Championships and the Asian Cup Volleyball Championship. 

But, when it comes to the world’s best, Japan has shown more often than not that it would need a little bit more to get over the hump. 

Japan made it to the podium with a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, arresting a 28-year Olympic medal drought. It also beat world number one Serbia in the World Championships last year on home soil. The recipe for victory, however, requires near-perfect execution for every outing, particularly when it comes to quick and accurate passing. 

Less than stellar passing slows down its game, allowing its opponents to set up the defense for Japanese spikers. So when things are off for Japan on any given day, things can go south quickly. 

This team has excellent core skills nonetheless and it’s likely the most pressing challenge would be finding and sustaining the mental resolve to keep chipping away from the opening whistle to match point. 

Unfortunately, it won’t have the backing of a huge home crowd at this year’s Nations League unlike the World Championships, as the tournament will be played in China, so it will have to dig a little deeper.

What is a realistic FIVB VNL projection for Japan’s women’s team?

Ranked sixth in the world, Japan will clearly be looking to finish within the top six of this tournament, which would be a marked improvement from its 10th place last year. But realistically, it will take a monumental effort to go deep into this competition. 

Japan won’t be able to draw on home-court advantage this time around, so sustaining that determination and focus from an emotional and mental standpoint can quickly become draining. It will though have the new major motivation of wanting to do well at the 2020 Olympics in front of its home crowd. 

We’ll have to wait and see whether that would be enough.

How to watch Japan in FIVB VNL 2019

Watch the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League in its entirety LIVE on FloVolleyball.