IPOH: Japan hope to regain their status as Asian Games champions, and the ongoing Sultan Azlan Shah (SAS) Cup will be the starting point in achieving their long-term mission.
The Samurais, who failed to qualify for the upcoming Paris edition, are rebuilding their team to prepare for the 2026 Nagoya Asian Games, where the champions will qualify on merit for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
For the record, Japan won their only Asian Games title in 2018 when they defeated Malaysia in the final in Jakarta.
Under the guidance of coach Yoshihiro Anai, Japan have brought a squad of players averaging 24 years old for the SAS Cup.
They will open their campaign against South Korea later today.
Team analyst Tomohiro Chujo said the SAS Cup would be Japan's first international exposure this year.
The players were assembled in March.
"We hope to rebuild and form a strong team for the Asian Games. Participating in tournaments like the SAS Cup will be beneficial for our players," Chujo said.
"Expectations will be high at the 2026 Asian Games as we are hosting it, so we hope to win the gold medal and qualify on merit for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics."
Japan's best performance in the SAS Cup was fourth in the 2022 edition.