Last May, I wrote a post about how Japan gets a place in the Tokyo Olympics as the host nation. At that time, I wasn’t sure how Japan would select their team. Then, this morning, thanks to Twitter and Google translate, I found the answer. They chose the most exciting method possible, a six team, double elimination tournament for both their men and their women. Can you think of a more exciting event in the build up to the Olympics? One weekend of beach volleyball with the winners taking the ultimate prize of representing their country in a home Olympics. If you want to read my first post about Japanese beach volleyball, you can find it as part of the Five Paths to Tokyo series here.

*If you can read Japanese and see that I got something wrong, please send me a correction. Here is a link to the source.

Megumi Murakami goes over the big Chinese block in Chetumal, Mexico last November. Photo by FIVB.

Japanese Olympic Trials Details

The men’s and women’s trials will happen in Osaka (men) and Tokyo (women) on the weekend of May 23rd and 24th. The top six Japanese teams as of April 23, 2020 will be invited to compete in a double elimination tournament. The Japanese Host Nation Ranking, which includes FIVB, AVC (Asian Volleyball Confederation) and Japanese Domestic Tour results will determine the top six.

The Best of the Women

On the women’s side, the best team has clearly been Megumi Murakami and Miki Ishii. After some strong finishes early in 2019, Megumi and Miki struggled for results in the summer’s biggest events. However, they bounced back with their best result in the last event of 2019. They took 5th places in Chetumal, Mexico, losing a heart breaking three-set thriller (19 – 21, 21 – 19, 16 – 14) to China. A point or two going the other way may have put them on the podium. They may end up being ungracious hosts next summer and take a medal for Japan. The further they advance the more electric the atmosphere inside the Shiokaze Park Stadium will become.

There will be a fight among the rest of the Japanese women to make the top six by April 23rd. Murakami and Ishii have been the standout team, but they will have to earn their place by winning this thrilling tournament. The Japanese beach volleyball committee will try to make it as competitive as possible. They will pair up players to create the strongest possible teams to represent them in Japan. Points from each individual player determine the top 6 teams no matter who they earned them with. One new team formed by the Japanese committee during the winter break is Akika Mizoe and Ayumi Kusano. The other Japanese women’s contenders are Takako Hasegawa & Azusa Futami and Ryoka Hashimoto.

Hopeful Japanese Men’s

The top four men’s teams at this time are (1) Takumi Takahashi and Tokumi Hasegawa, (2)Yusuke

Ishijima and Katsuhiro Shiratori, (3) Yu Koshikawa and Ikeda Junpei and (4) Tsuchiya Takashi and Hitoshi Murakami. None of the men’s teams have been as successful as their female counterparts, Takahashi and Hasegawa did earn a 9th place in Qinzhou last year.

Yoshiumi Hasegawa takes up space with his powerful block during the 2nd round match against Russia in Qinzhou, China. Photo by FIVB

Two Japanese Teams?

Japan doesn’t have any teams placed high enough in the Olympic rankings to make Tokyo at the moment. Their best chance to qualify through that path is Murakami and Ishii, but that seems unlikely. Japan can also get a second team to the Olympics by wining the AVC Continental Cup. It is important to note that the men’s and women’s teams that Japan selects through the Olympic trials are not allowed to play in the continental cup. The Japanese will likely send the 2nd and 3rd place finishers to the continental cup next June to try to earn another Olympic spot there.