Akbas selects 34 players in his first call-up with Japan

New head coach Ferhat Akbas will be working with a large pool of players in his first season with the Japanese women’s national team, as the Turkish trainer called up as many as 34 athletes to form their squad in 2025.

Akbas will coach Japan in the Volleyball Nations League and the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in his first season at the helm and will try to have the Asians continue to go up in the FIVB World Rankings, where they currently appear in seventh place.

• Watch the 2025 Volleybal Nations League live on VBTV

The new coach’s large selection features nine of the 13 players picked by his predecessor Masayoshi Nanabe to represent Japan at last year’s Paris Olympics, where they finished ninth. Missing on the list are former captain Sarina Koga, who retired at the end of the Games, fellow outside hitters Arisa Inoue, who will end her career at the end of the current club season, and Kotona Hayashi and libero Akane Yamagishi, who was called up as the team’s alternate on the occasion.

With that, the team’s core in the upcoming season should be formed by setter Koyomi Iwasaki, opposite Yukiko Wada, outside hitter Mayu Ishikawa, middle blockers Ayaka Araki and Nichika Yamada and liberos Manami Kojima and Satomi Fukudome.

The list also features ten players who are receiving their first call-ups, including 18-year-olds Kokomi Kawamata, Koyumi Fukumura and Miku Akimoto.

“The 2025 Japan women's national team will have players, coaches, staff and fans united in our pursuit of excellence,” Akbas said. “We will strive for success on the world stage while cultivating teamwork, resilience and pride. I expect our players to embody the Japanese values, push boundaries and inspire the next generation. Let's come together as a team to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals.”

Japan start the VNL in Canada

The national team will start training on May 5, in Tokyo, where they will stay until the end of the month. The Japanese are expected to take part in a training camp in Ottawa ahead of their VNL debut, arriving in the city on May 29 – they will face the Netherlands, Serbia, hosts Canada and the Dominican Republic from June 4-8 in the first week of the tournament.

In the World Championship, which is set to played from August 22-September 7, in Thailand, the Japanese will be part of Pool H alongside Serbia, Ukraine and Cameroon.

Japan women’s national team full roster (subject to eligibility check to be conducted by the FIVB):

Setters: Hitomi Shiode, Koyomi Iwasaki, Nanami Seki, Tamaki Matsui, Tsukasa Nakagawa
Opposites: Kokomi Kawamata, Rui Nonaka, Yukiko Wada
Outside Hitters: Ai Kurogo, Ameze Miyabe, Ayane Kitamado, Fuyumi Hawi Okumu Oba, Koyumi Fukumura, Mayu Ishikawa, Megumi Fukazawa, Miku Akimoto, Miwako Osanai, Yoshino Sato
Middle Blockers: Airi Miyabe, Asuka Hamamatsu, Ayaka Araki, Emili Iiyama, Erina Ogawa, Haruyo Shimamura, Hiroyo Yamanaka, Maki Yamaguchi, Nanami Asano, Nichika Yamada, Rin Honda
Liberos: Haruna Kawabata, Manami Kojima, Miiku Iwasawa, Minami Nishimura, Satomi Fukudome

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