Japan Women’s NT 2020

    I absolutely have the utmost respect for Takeshita and I agree with everything you said about her playing an integral part to Japan's NT. If we're talking legacy, then she would certainly take top spot along with Sano and Kimura. However if we're talking popularity-wise I don't think she would be at No. 2. The press didn't exactly milk her image, like they did with Kimura and when Miyu came along she managed to steal everyone else except Kimura's thunder and people ate it. That ace title she had going back then pretty much put her forward to an extent so I do think Nagaoka would still take 2nd.


    Here during a show with Ebata, Kimura, Sakoda and Shinnabe


    There was that show with Naomi Masuko and Kaoru Sugayama where they were talking about the rise of female volleyball players and they mentioned Miyu as one of the players with the biggest hype

    haru_12 Miyashita's Gaora documentary that aired last June replayed tonight and finally Gourdon uploaded the full version. There's already one floating around on youtube but the audio is all messed up


    Anna Imura mildly amused at crybaby gloriously shedding tears while being awarded (around 2:46)


    Ebata???

    JVA has posted a statement which says, contrary to media reports today, FIVB hasn't officially pulled the plug on the World Cup and Grand Champions Cup yet

    Quote from blue1234

    Saori Sokada WGCC 2013 pipe attack HL

    If any Japanese player comes even close to the beauty of that girl I will be in love <3

    Quote from zhutingfan

    I liked those events. Hope they don't go.

    if Japanese men and women are playing well, then tv channels can put up the money. But lost money on 2018 World Champs. If you are not making money hosting these events, the federation cannot waste its money.

    New interview with Miyashita post remote-match


    (rough trans via shojigen on twitter) She dodged the Olympic question but says she intends to do her best to prepare for next year. she said that despite the whole corona situation and Okayama initially planning to decline to participate in the V.League since their basketball team in the area already dropped out, they don't really have a choice.


    Quote from Phoenix

    New interview with Miyashita post remote-match


    (rough trans via shojigen on twitter)

    How did you get a translation?


    Four men's volleyball teams have opted out of this season's V.League. I hadn't even considered that possibility.

    Quote from sitenoise

    Four men's volleyball teams have opted out of this season's V.League. I hadn't even considered that possibility.

    Remember the lower level teams are not fully professional. So as they are regular employees who also happen to play volleyball, they may interact with way more people that you would like because of work, and then throw in some travel for the team. Just not worth the risk for those businesses right now.

    I couldn't find any media reports about abolishing of the WGCC and WC that prompted a rebuttal from JVA. But this livedoor blogger has a pretty bleak post outlining the importance of those tournaments for J-Volleyball, echoing some of the sentiments I've seen here about Japan buying their way into the other two quadrennial FIVB tournaments and getting unearned world ranking points by virtue of it.


    It's in googlease (unless you read Japanese), so it's not fully comprehensible but you can get the main gist: Those tournaments kept the women's team on life support longer than they should have, and if they go away it won't be just a little less volleyball in Japan. It could spell the end of the women in international competition, except for VNL, I suppose.


    I like those tournaments but am tired of the baggage that surrounds them. My interest in Japanese volleyball is such that I would gladly give them up, and all else it would entail, if Japan would let me pay them to see the university championships :)

    Quote from sitenoise

    I couldn't find any media reports about abolishing of the WGCC and WC that prompted a rebuttal from JVA. But this livedoor blogger has a pretty bleak post outlining the importance of those tournaments for J-Volleyball, echoing some of the sentiments I've seen here about Japan buying their way into the other two quadrennial FIVB tournaments and getting unearned world ranking points by virtue of it.


    It's in googlease (unless you read Japanese), so it's not fully comprehensible but you can get the main gist: Those tournaments kept the women's team on life support longer than they should have, and if they go away it won't be just a little less volleyball in Japan. It could spell the end of the women in international competition, except for VNL, I suppose.


    I like those tournaments but am tired of the baggage that surrounds them. My interest in Japanese volleyball is such that I would gladly give them up, and all else it would entail, if Japan would let me pay them to see the university championships :)

    The answer is simple, they drew good TV ratings but the on court performance has not matched the desire. Saori Kimura, Takeshita and Araki basically gave the Japanese women a good run from 2010-2012. Right now other countries have surpassed them.


    When the Japanese teams are doing well, then it is not hard to have Japanese sponsors and TV channels want to support the JVA. However, 2014-2018 have been not good as Netherlands, China, USA, Brazil and Serbia are way in front of the Japanese women. 2018 World Champs were a money loser for the JVA and it needs some medals in Olympics (if they happen) to keep up the interest in the national team. Men's side is a whole different story with young players who are good (may not be the best in the world, but competitive).


    Right now, Araki is her last go towards the Olympics and the youngsters are still growing (on court not phyically. Japan women may be rolling back down the hill.

    Did Fuji TV and whomever only put up money for and broadcast the women?

    So I guess we have to wish for Japan NT's success otherwise, we might not see them hosting competitions again. That might have an effect on World Cup and World Grand Champions Cup which are held exclusively there.

    Quote from bibetron

    So I guess we have to wish for Japan NT's success otherwise, we might not see them hosting competitions again. That might have an effect on World Cup and World Grand Champions Cup which are held exclusively there.

    After the 4th place in seul 88 i think that japan was never between best 4 in a competition till 2010 world championship

    and they were doing wch,wgcc,world.cup

    So i doubt they stop doing that because of results

    remembering that was a pause of 20 years of japan aiming 5th place and nothing more than that and then 3 good years with a wch and olympic medal and 2 years later a gp silver medal

    Then japan don't achieve nothing at international stage but they love volleyball and continue organizing tournaments

    Quote from Jules

    remembering that was a pause of 20 years of japan aiming 5th place and nothing more than that and then 3 good years with a wch and olympic medal and 2 years later a gp silver medal

    Then japan don't achieve nothing at international stage but they love volleyball and continue organizing tournaments

    I hope they still do because I think they're very good hosts.