Volleyball - Team Japan

General
Japan qualified for the 2020 Games in Tokyo as hosts. The team boast two Olympic gold medals, claiming top spot in 1964 when the sport made its debut on the Olympic programme, and then again at the 1976 Games in Montreal. They also won silver medals in 1968 and 1972, giving Japan podium finishes in each of the first four editions of the Olympic Games where volleyball was contested. Japan took bronze at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles but had to wait another 28 years until they reached the podium again, securing a second bronze at the 2012 Games in London. In 2016 in Rio de Janeiro the Japanese team won two and lost three of their five pool matches to qualify for the quarterfinals, where they were defeated by the United States of America in straight sets.

Japan's most successful period at the world championships was also a number of years ago, with the most recent of their three world titles coming in 1974. They last finished on the podium in 2010, when they hosted the tournament and finished third thanks to a five-set victory over the United States of America in the bronze medal match. Japan are one of the core teams in the Nations League although they are yet to make a serious impression on the new tournament, placing 10th in 2018 and ninth in 2019. They won a silver medal at the World Grand Prix in 2014.

The Japanese team have competed at every Asian Games since the inaugural tournament in 1962, and won a medal at 12 consecutive editions through to 2006. However, they have not finished on the podium at the last three editions of the tournament, losing the bronze medal match in both 2014 and 2018. The team have performed far better at the Asian championship in recent years winning three of the last seven gold medals available, including successive titles in 2017 and 2019.