Japan men's volleyball team roster for VNL 2026 Finals

The Japan men's volleyball team has announced the 14 players for the 2026 VNL Finals in Ningbo, China, featuring all top stars such as Yuki Ishikawa, Ran Takahashi, and Yuji Nishida.

The Federation of Japan Volleyball has confirmed the squad for the 2026 Volleyball Nations League Finals, held from July 29 to August 2 in Beilun District, Ningbo. The Land of the Rising Sun brings to China a deep lineup, combining experienced core players with rapidly improving young talents.

The 14-player roster of Japan includes:

In addition to the official squad, middle blocker Akihiro Yamauchi is registered in the substitute group. According to the finals regulations, teams may request personnel changes from the expanded roster if approved by the organizers.

Japan's focus remains on the trio of Yuki Ishikawa, Ran Takahashi, and Yuji Nishida. Ishikawa wears the captain's armband, leading the offense and serving as a pillar in crucial moments. Ran Takahashi brings diverse attacking skills and solid backcourt defense, while Nishida remains a powerful scoring threat at the opposite position.

Notably, Japan enters the knockout stage with the best record in the preliminary round. They won all 12 matches, earning 30 points, and topped the standings ahead of Poland, Slovenia, and Italy. This achievement makes the Asian representative one of the top contenders for the championship.

In the quarterfinals, Japan will face host China at 18:30 on July 29 Vietnam time. China won only one of their 12 preliminary matches but qualified for the finals as the host. With high form and a nearly full-strength squad, Ishikawa and his teammates have a favorable opportunity to advance to the semifinals, although the pressure from the Ningbo crowd could pose a significant challenge.