The Japanese men’s national volleyball team continues to rise in international volleyball, achieving several significant milestones this year.
In the ongoing 2023 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Nations League, the team, known as Ryujin Nippon, secured a momentous victory against France, the first since the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
They also made history by defeating Brazil in a grueling five-setter early in the tournament.
According to team captain Yuki Ishikawa, this success can be attributed to the dedication and improvement of every single member, along with their unwavering belief in winning.
The 27-year-old star stated, “We haven’t made many personnel changes, but certain players have worked hard to ensure that we can compete and win against teams like Brazil, France, and hopefully, Italy again.”
He further expressed, “We have developed good teamwork, particularly during matches. I hope we can maintain this level of play and strive to reach an even higher standard.”
Japan’s ultimate aim is to clinch the coveted VNL title at the end of the season. However, the team understands that achieving this goal requires taking small steps.
Their next anticipated challenge is a highly anticipated match against Italy, which is expected to be a sold-out event on Saturday at 7 p.m.
