TEAM COMPOSITION

JPN / Japan - Team Composition

Team manager	ARAKIDA, Yuko (Mrs.)
Head coach	MANABE, Masayoshi
Assistant coach	KAWAKITA, Gen / OKUBO Shigekazu
Doctor	OBARA, Kazuhiro (1st and 2nd Week)
Therapist / trainer	WAKAMIYA, Keiji
Journalist	TETSUYA, Yoshitomo (1st Week)

	No.	Name	Lastname	Shirt Name	Birthdate	Height	Weight	Spike	Block
	1	Megumi	Kurihara	Kurihara	31.07.1984	187	69	308	295
	2	Hitomi	Nakamichi	Nakamichi	18.09.1985	159	53	270	256
	3	Yoshie	Takeshita	Takeshita	18.03.1978	159	53	280	270
	4	Kaori	Inoue	Inoue	21.10.1982	182	59	306	300
	5	Ai	Otomo	Ai	24.03.1982	184	68	312	305
	6	Yuko	Sano	Sano	26.07.1979	159	54	260	250
	7	Mai	Yamaguchi	Yamaguchi	03.07.1983	176	62	304	292
	8	Kotoki	Zayasu	Zayasu	11.01.1990	159	57	270	255
	9	Mizuho	Ishida	Ishida	22.01.1988	174	65	301	286
	10	Nana	Iwasaka	IWASAKA	03.07.1990	187	75	300	293
C	11	Erika	Araki	ARAKI	03.08.1984	186	81	305	297
	12	Saori	Kimura	Saori	19.08.1986	185	65	304	293
	13	Risa	Shinnabe	SHINNABE	11.07.1990	173	64	292	285
	14	Yukiko	Ebata	Ebata	07.11.1989	176	67	305	298
	15	Maiko	Kano	Kano	15.07.1988	185	72	303	285
	16	Saori	Sakoda	Sakoda	18.12.1987	175	63	305	279
	17	Kanako	Hirai	Hirai	15.04.1984	183	69	309	290
	18	Riho	Otake	Ohtake	23.12.1993	182	68	306	296
	19	Kanari	Hamaguchi	Hamaguchi	29.08.1985	167	60	283	269
	20	Haruka	Miyashita	Miyashita	01.09.1994	177	61	291	272
	21	Ayumi	Nakamura	Nakamura	29.08.1990	176	70	294	278
	22	Mai	Okumura	OKUMURA	31.10.1990	177	69	297	285
	23	Yuki	Ishii	ISHII	08.05.1991	180	68	302	287
	24	Miyu	Nagaoka	NAGAOKA	25.07.1991	179	64	308	303
	25	Rika	Nomoto	NOMOTO	21.09.1991	180	72	308	291

C=Captain L=Libero

Team profile

After Japan’s participation in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Japan Volleyball Association made quick steps to build a new squad aiming for the London 2012 Games. Masayoshi Manabe of national championship-winning team Hisamitsu Springs was appointed coach, taking over from Shoichi Yanagimoto, who had been with the team for five years.

Manabe started by casting his eye over 30 players, including Yoshie Takeshita, one of the world's top setters and the team's former captain, spectacular libero Yuko Sano and attacking stars Saori Kimura and Erika Araki. He has kept with the tried and trusted whilst introducing some new blood and giving the captaincy to Araki, which has sparked an improvement in form, so much so that Japan’s quick-fire attacking game is in top gear and the side is seen as genuine contenders in women's volleyball again, challenging for titles.

Full evidence of this turnaround is the 2010 FIVB World Championship where Japan won their first FIVB medal for 32 years in front of their home fans before following up with a fifth place finish in last year's World Grand Prix and fourth place finish at last year's World Cup, narrowly missing out on an Olympic berth.

Coach profile

Masayoshi Manabe took over from Shoichi Yanagimoto in April 2009 and one of his goals was to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. He was a setter for Japan and took part in the 1988 Olympics. He started coaching in 1993 with Nippon Steel Blazers and under his leadership the team were V-League champions in 1996 and in 1997. From 1999 to 2005, he focused on his career as a player, retiring in 2005. In 2006-07, he led Hisamitsu Springs to the V-Premier League title. Manabe’s tactical awareness helped Japan win the 2010 Montreux Volley Masters and the bronze at the World Championship in 2010, their first FIVB medal in 32 years.