Japan women's national team will include 26 players this season
Tokyo, Japan, April 7, 2015 - Japan have named 26 players to reinforce the national team’s bid for success in this year's international competitions as coach Masayoshi Manabe's players prepare for the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix.
Japan coach Masayoshi Manabe selected the players to join the country's training programme ahead of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup.
“We are ready to challenge the world again,” coach Manabe said. “In order to achieve this goal, we have selected players who have the pride and the courage to fight.”
“Innovation will be the main challenge on our first day of training this season - on the road to progress to gain the gold medal in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games,” Manabe added. “This year, with the Olympic Games in mind, a trip to Brazil is vital to be able to get acclimatised and gain a variety of experiences, as well as to continue the overall growth of the team.”
The Japanese women’s team will be competing in the Asian Championship before heading to the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, where they will try to improve on last year’s silver medal finish in Group 1.
During the World Grand Prix, Japan will travel to Bangkok in the first week, return home to Saitama in the second week, then move to Hong Kong in the third week. The premier annual women’s competition finals will be held in Omaha, USA.
The team’s participation in the World Grand Prix will be an acid test for them before they compete as hosts in the World Cup from August 22 to September 6.
“I am confident that with the exposure and support that the players and staff will get this year, we will be able to move forward with full force,” Manabe concluded.
Japan Women’s National Team1. Koto Chizuru
2. Nozomi Tsuchida
3. Natsumi Fujita
4. Haruka Miyashita
5. Saori Kimura
6. Arisa Takada
7. Saori Sakoda
8. Mizuho Ishida
9. Yukiko Ebata
10. Yuki Ishii
11. Miyu Nagaoaka
12. Risa Shiragaki
13. Mami Uchiseto
14. Yuka Imamura
15. Yurie Nabeya
16. Arisa Inoue
17. Sarina Koga
18. Nanaka Sakamoto
19. Airi Miyabe
20. Mai Yamaguchi
21. Kana Ono
22. Riho Otake
23. Kotoki Zayasu
24. Sayaka Iwasaki
25. Mio Sato
26. Sayaka Tsutsui