Japan are one of the non-European sides with the largest growth over the past few years, as the hosting of the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championship – where the Asian side finished 10th – boosting the interest and the quality in the team. Now, Japan are looking to secure back-to-back appearances at the Olympic Games, after they ended a 44-year wait at Tokyo 2020.

Since 2019, when Japan took their clearest-ever win against an European side, 37:20 against Romania, the Asian team has always challenged European sides, with a win against Croatia and Austria in 2021, with close losses against Spain (26:28) in 2021, Germany (30:31), Poland (30:32) and Romania (28:32) in 2023.

Yet the biggest win came against Denmark, when Japan delivered an absolutely fantastic performance at the 2023 IHF Women’s World Championship, handing the hosts in Herning one of the biggest losses in history, 26:27, helping Japan to finish 17th, as they doubled down with a win against Serbia.

While Japan definitely were helped by Danish coach Ulrik Kirkely in the build-up for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, this time around, they will try to qualify with a Japanese coach at the helm, Kenta Kishimoto, the same coach from Denmark/Norway/Sweden 2023, where Japan looked like a tough team to beat by European opponents.

Their fast-paced style in attack, enabled by a fantastic centre back in Natsuki Aizawa, and some experience from goalkeeper Sakura Kametani, who has featured throughout her career in the Norwegian and French leagues, help Japan stand out between the non-European sides.

This time around, they will face tough opponents, needing at least one win against Sweden or Hungary to set the dominos in motion and secure their third appearance in history at the Olympic Games, after they finished fifth at Montreal 1976 and 12th at Tokyo 2020, failing to win a match three years ago.

Over the past two decades, Japan have played against Sweden once, at the 2019 IHF Women’s World Championship, when they conceded a 26:34 loss, and three times against Hungary, losing 31:35 in 2007, 28:35 in 2009 and 21:31 in 2015, warning that they are no pushovers.

Key players: Sakura Kametani (goalkeeper), Natsuki Aizawa (centre back), Sora Ishikawa (right back)

History at the Olympic Games: 1976: 5th, 2020: 12th

Olympic Qualification Tournament #1 (in Debrecen, Hungary): Sweden, Hungary, Cameroon, Japan