Sata Isobe spiking ball against Soviet Union National Team, 1964 Tokyo Olympics Women's Volleyball
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 head coachisMasayoshi Manabe.
One of their greatest successes was at the 1964 Summer OlympicsinTokyo, 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]
| 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 |
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.
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]
| 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)
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 – 8th place
2008 – 7th place
2012 – Bronze Medal
2016 – 8th place 2020 – 10th place
2024 – Qualified 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
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 1993 – 4th place 1997 – 5th place 2001 – 
Bronze Medal 2005 – 5th place 2009 – 4th place 2013 – Bronze Medal 2017 – 5th place
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 2018 – 10th place 2019 – 9th place 2021 – 4th place
2022 – 7th place 2023 – 7th place 2024 – 
Silver Medal Bronze Medal Bronze Medal
Gold Medal Silver Medal Silver Medal
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
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 2008 — 4th place 2010 — 4th place
2012 — 5th place 2014 — 4th place 2016 — 4th place 2018 — Silver Medal 2022 — Gold MedalThe following is the Japan roster in the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Women's Nations League[14]
Head coach: Masayoshi Manabe
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Pos | Height |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koyomi Iwasaki | 1 May 1989 | S | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 2 | Kotona Hayashi | 13 November 1999 | OH | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) |
| 3 | Sarina Nishida | 21 May 1996 | OH | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 4 | Mayu Ishikawa | 14 May 2000 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 5 | Akane Moriya | 8 January 1991 | L | 165 cm (5 ft 5 in) |
| 6 | Nanami Seki | 12 June 1999 | S | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| 7 | Aya Watanabe | 23 April 1991 | MB | 176 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 8 | Manami Kojima | 7 November 1994 | L | 158 cm (5 ft 2 in) |
| 9 | Mizuki Tanaka | 28 January 1996 | OH | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| 10 | Arisa Inoue | 8 May 1995 | OH | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| 11 | Nichika Yamada | 24 February 2000 | MB | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 12 | Satomi Fukudome | 23 November 1997 | L | 162 cm (5 ft 4 in) |
| 13 | Tamaki Matsui | 10 January 1998 | S | 170 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| 14 | Fuyumi Hawi Okumu Oba | 27 June 1998 | OH | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| 15 | Airi Miyabe | 29 July 1998 | MB | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 16 | Ai Kurogo | 14 June 1998 | OH | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 17 | Minami Nishimura | 23 March 2000 | L | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) |
| 18 | Tsukasa Nakagawa | 13 August 2000 | S | 159 cm (5 ft 3 in) |
| 19 | Shion Hirayama | 7 November 2000 | MB | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 20 | Ayaka Araki | 2 September 2001 | MB | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 21 | Yukiko Wada | 8 January 2002 | OH | 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 24 | Miwako Osanai | 19 July 1997 | OH | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 25 | Hiroyo Yamanaka | 11 November 1999 | MB | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 26 | Yoshino Sato | 12 November 2001 | OH | 177 cm (5 ft 10 in) |
| 27 | Erika Sakae | 3 April 1991 | S | 168 cm (5 ft 6 in) |
| 28 | Kyoko Hayashi | 16 December 1991 | MB | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) |
| 29 | Mika Shibata | 7 June 1994 | S | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) |
| 30 | Shiori Tsukada | 7 September 1994 | S | 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) |
| 31 | Moeka Kinoe | 24 December 1997 | MB | 181 cm (5 ft 11 in) |
| 32 | Ameze Miyabe | 12 October 2001 | OH | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) |
Head coach: Tadayoshi Yokota
| No. | Name | Date of birth | Height | 1994 club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Motoko Obayashi | 15.06.67 | 182 cm (5 ft11+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 ft9+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 4 | Mika Yamauchi | 07.10.69 | 182 cm (5 ft11+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 6 | Tomoko Yoshihara | 04.02.70 | 179 cm (5 ft10+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 ft10+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 12 | Yumi Natta | 12.07.69 | 161 cm (5 ft3+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 ft11+1⁄2 in) | Daiei |
| 10 | Kumiko Sakamoto | 13.12.72 | 177 cm (5 ft9+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 ft10+1⁄2 in) | Hitachi |
| 18 | Eiko Yasui | 08.05.71 | 164 cm (5 ft4+1⁄2 in) | Kanagawa |
Tadayoshi Yokota Kuniaki Yoshida Nobushika Kuzuwa Masahiro Yoshikawa Shoichi Yanagimoto (2003–2008) Masayoshi Manabe (2008–2016; 2021–present) Kumi Nakada (2016–2021)[15][16]1964 Tokyo Olympics Women's Volleyball
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Soviet Union Japan Soviet Union China Soviet Union Cuba Cuba Cuba China Brazil Brazil China United States |
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Soviet Union Japan Japan Soviet Union Japan Cuba China China Soviet Union Cuba Cuba Italy Russia Russia United States Serbia Serbia |
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 Japan Japan Japan China China China South Korea China China China China South Korea China China |
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FIVB Volleyball World Cup winners
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China China Cuba Cuba Cuba Cuba China Italy Italy China China |
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AVC Asian Championship winners
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Japan China China China China China China China China China China Japan Thailand China Thailand China Japan Japan Thailand |
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Women's National Volleyball Teams of Asia (AVC)
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| Zone 1 (WAVA) |
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| Zone 2 (CAVA) |
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| Zone 3 (EAZVA) |
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| Zone 4 (SEAVA) |
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| Zone 5 (OZVA) |
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| Men |
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| Women |
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| Mixed |
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