Paris 2024 women's basketball team preview: Japan

After failing to medal at any of their previous four Olympic Games, Japan stunned the basketball world by reaching the final of the women's tournament at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, knocking out London 2012 silver medallists France in the process. Though they would lose to the powerhouse that is the USA in the final, Japan's performance at their home Games showed they can no longer be taken for granted on the Olympic stage.

Currently ranked 9th in the world, can the Akatsuki Five return to the podium at Paris 2024?

• Women's Olympic basketball tournament draw

Japan women's basketball: Stats & Key figures

World Ranking: 9th

Olympic Games

• Appearances: 5
• Medals: Silver (Tokyo 2020)

FIBA World Cup

• Appearances: 9
• Medals: Silver (1975)

FIBA Women's Asia Cup

• Appearances: 29
• Medals: Gold (1970, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021), Silver (1965, 1968, 1974, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2023), Bronze (1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2007, 2009, 2011)

Rui Machida & Mai Yamamoto: Japan's "Master & Apprentice"

Rui Machida is one of the most well-known names in women's basketball, thanks to an extensive career that has seen her earn three Asia Cup gold medals and Olympic silver at Tokyo 2020. At the Games in Japan, the 31-year-old dished out a single-game Olympic record 18 assists to guide Japan past France 87-71 in the semi-finals, and was selected to the competition's All-Star Five.

In 2022 she became the fourth Japanese player to make it to the WNBA after signing with the Washington Mystics. Due to playing overseas and having to deal with a wave of injuries, Machida has been absent from the national team setup for almost three years, but was included in Japan's preliminary 18-player list in May. Her inclusion in the final 12-player roster for Paris is far from certain, but one would assume that the playmaking ability and veteran experience Machida brings will be seen as valuable by coach Toru Ontsuka when making his final selections for the Games.

Machida's absence opened the door for an emerging talent to step to the fore in Mai Yamamoto. The 24-year-old guard first found international success as a member of Japan's 3X3 team, winning the FIBA 3X3 Under-23 World Cup in 2019—Japan's first world title in basketball. After helping the 3X3 team finish 5th at the Tokyo Olympics, Yamamoto garnered further recognition as part of the 5-on-5 senior team that won gold at the FIBA Asia Cup two months later in Jordan.

Yamamoto truly demonstrated her budding stardom at the FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2024 in Sopron, Hungary back in February. The Toyota Antelope finished as the tournament's leading scorer, averaging 17.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists per outing while shooting a scintillating 62 per cent from the field. Yamamoto was rewarded with the Most Valuable Player award for her efforts as Japan secured qualification for a fourth consecutive Olympics.

Assuming both Yamamoto and Machida are selected for the Japanese team for the Games, the Akatsuki Five would possess one of the top offensive backcourts at the competition. With Japan playing a high-octane brand of basketball, look for this dynamic duo to push their team deep into the knockout rounds.

Japan's group at Paris 2024

Japan has been drawn into Group C alongside reigning European champions Belgium, world No.19 Germany, and nine-time Olympic champions the USA. Unsuprisingly, Group C has already been given the moniker "the Group of Death", with only two teams automatically advancing to the quarter-finals (the third-placed team could also advance depending on ranking).

Japan's group phase games

29 July, vs USA
1 August, vs Germany
4 August, vs Belgium