Athletics - Team Japan

General
Japan are the reigning Olympic silver medallists in the men's 4x100m relay. They set an Asian record of 37.60s in the final at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro to finish 0.33s behind gold medallists Jamaica. It was their second Olympic medal in the event, following a silver at the 2008 Games in Beijing, where they finished 0.09s behind Trinidad and Tobago. They originally claimed bronze in Beijing, but were promoted to the silver medal position following the 2017 disqualification of the Jamaican team that originally won gold in Beijing due to an anti-doping rule violation.

Japan have made the final at the last five Olympic Games, and are appearing at their 12th Games in Tokyo, having made their debut in 1928. It will be the first time a Japanese men's 4x100m relay team compete in an Olympic Games on home soil, as they did not take part in the event at the 1964 Games in Tokyo.

Japan have also won two medals at the world championships, both bronze, which they picked up at back-to-back editions in 2017 and 2019. At the 2019 edition in Doha they set an Asian record of 37.43s to finish behind the second-placed British and victorious US teams.

The Japanese team also picked up a bronze medal at the 2021 World Relays, and at continental level won gold at the most recent Asian Games in 2018.