TEAM COMPOSITION

JPN / Japan

Team manager	TAKEMASA, Aya (Ms.)
Coach	OKUBO, Shigekazu
Assistant coach	SAEGUSA, Daichi
2nd assistant coach	MIYAWAKI, Hiroshi
Doctor	ARAKI, Daisuke
Physiotherapist	MATSUDA, Atsumi

	No.	Name	Lastname	Shirt Name	Birthdate	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	Club
C	1	Kanami	Tashiro	Tashiro	25.03.1991	173	70	280	273	Toray Arrows
	4	Haruyo	Shimamura	Shimamura	04.03.1992	182	79	295	290	NEC Red Rockets
	5	Fumika	Moriya	Moriya	07.04.1992	180	75	302	286	Pioneer Red Wings
	7	Miku	Torigoe	Torigoe	16.10.1992	163	58	283	273	NEC Red Rockets
	9	Suzuka	Hashimoto	Hashimoto	28.08.1993	183	65	298	288	Denso Airybees
	10	Yurie	Nabeya	Nabeya	15.12.1993	177	57	302	287	Denso Airybees
	12	Asuka	Nomura	Nomura	23.07.1994	180	64	304	294	Toray Arrows
	13	Nozomi	Ito	Ito	16.02.1995	178	71	307	280	Toray Arrows
	15	Natsumi	Fujita	Fujita	05.08.1991	166	50	277	268	Toyota Auto Body Queenseis
	17	Miku	Benoki	Benoki	01.03.1996	172	62	309	282	Shimokitazawa Seitoku HS
	18	Saori	Takahashi	Takahashi	09.12.1992	177	68	298	280	Hitachi Rivale
	19	Sarina	Koga	Koga	21.05.1996	180	63	304	290	Kumamoto Shinai Jyogakuin HS

C=Captain L=Libero

Team profile

The Japan players do not have the height normally associated with the top level of women’s volleyball and the team is young, with an average age of 20. The players come not only from our top clubs, but also from top university teams. Using the typical characteristics of Japanese teams – dexterity, hard work, discipline and efforts to bring out players’ individual personalities – Japan will fight fiercely for every point.

In addition to the Japan team’s great esprit de corps, Japanese volleyball is well-known for its indefatigable determination and speedy combinations, and their teams invariably produce dynamic volleyball. The speed of their combination play makes it difficult to predict their attacks. The key players who will create these combinations are the two setters: Kanami Tashiro and Natsumi Fujita. In addition, Japan have good servers and are renowned for their digging and defence.

Coach profile

Shigekazu Okubo, 33, is a specialist in defence. He graduated from the University of Tsukuba and played for Sakai Blazers as libero from 2002 to 2007. He was a member of the Blazers when the team won the First Division of the National League in the 2006/07 season.

After his retirement as a player, he became assistant coach for top women’s team Hisamitsu Springs and has worked as a defence coach for the Japan women’s team He is particularly strong in coaching blocking. He helped the Japan women’s team when they won bronze medals at the 2010 FIVB World Championship and at last year’s Olympic Games.