TEAM COMPOSITION

JPN / Japan

Team manager	KUWATA Haruhito
Coach	SATO Gary
Assistant coach	HUNT David
2nd assistant coach	OTAKE Hideyuki
Doctor	HASHIMOTO Yoshito
Physiotherapist	YANO Hiroya

	No.	Name	Lastname	Shirt Name	Birthdate	Height	Weight	Spike	Block	Club
	1	Yuji	SUZUKI	YUJI	07.06.1986	189	80	350	330	Toray Arrows
	2	Yuhei	TSUKAZAKI	TSUKAZAKI	11.07.1986	192	74	332	315	JT Thunders
L	3	Takeshi	Nagano	Nagano	11.07.1985	176	69	315	300	Panasonic Panthers
	4	Shigeru	Kondoh	Kondo	23.11.1982	186	85	330	315	Toray Arrows
	5	Shun	Imamura	Imamura	20.07.1987	181	70	330	315	Sakai Blazers
	6	Yoshifumi	SUZUKI	YOSHIFUMI	31.03.1983	200	95	340	300	Suntory Sunbirds
	7	Masashi	KURIYAMA	KURIYAMA	14.07.1988	189	85	340	330	Suntory Sunbirds
	8	Kazuyoshi	Yokota	Yokota	01.05.1986	194	85	345	325	Sakai Blazers
	9	Takaaki	TOMIMATSU	TOMIMATSU	20.07.1984	191	84	350	330	Toray Arrows
	10	Dai	TEZUKA	TEZUKA	18.11.1988	191	90	345	320	F.C. Tokyo
	11	Yoshihiko	Matsumoto	Matsumoto	07.01.1981	193	80	340	330	Sakai Blazers
C	12	Kota	Yamamura	Yamamura	20.10.1980	205	95	350	335	Suntory Sunbirds
L	13	Ken	Takahashi	Takahashi	22.12.1988	180	73	310	300	Suntory Sunbirds
	14	Tatsuya	Fukuzawa	Fukuzawa	01.07.1986	189	86	355	345	Panasonic Panthers
	15	Daisuke	Yako	Yako	07.10.1988	194	89	335	325	JT Thunders
	16	Yusuke	Ishijima	Gottsu	09.01.1984	197	102	345	335	Sakai Blazers
	17	Yu	Koshikawa	Koshikawa	30.06.1984	189	87	340	320	Suntory Sunbirds
	18	Yuta	Yoneyama	Yuta	29.08.1984	185	85	340	320	Toray Arrows
	19	Shunsuke	Chijiki	Chijiki	06.09.1989	193	83	348	325	Sakai Blazers
	20	Yuta	Matsuoka	Matsuoka	06.11.1989	192	72	335	325	Sakai Blazers
	21	Takashi	Dekita	Dekita	13.08.1991	199	88	350	335	University of Tsukuba
	22	Issei	MAEDA	MAEDA	22.09.1991	181	71	315	305	University of Tsukuba

C=Captain L=Libero

Team profile

Although the Japan men’s national team did not qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, they have now their sights set on the next edition of the Games taking place in Rio in 2016. The 2013 World League is their first challenge on the road to Rio under the leadership of new head coach, Gary Sato.

This year’s team includes experienced players such as Yusuke Ishijima Tatsuya Fukuzawa, and Kunihiro Shimizu, as well as young players Shunsuke Chijiki and Takashi Dekita.

Coach profile

Recently appointed Gary Sato, born in California (US) on January 2, 1955, is the first foreign born coach to lead the Japan men’s national team.

Prior to this post, Sato was assistant coach with the US men’s national team joining their staff in 1984.

In 1985, acting as head coach, Sato led the US team to first place in the World Cup. He was also on the coaching staff when the US team took first place in the 1986 World Championship, gold medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, third place at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, second place at the 2012 World League and finally, fifth place at the London Olympics.