Over the past 30 years, Japan have made the cut for the IHF Men’s World Championship eight times from a possible 15 appearances, but the Asian side looks to finally be on the up and cement their status at both the continental and the global level in men’s handball.

The last time Japan made the top-10 at the IHF Men’s World Championship was in 1970, 55 years ago, and have never finished higher than the 15th place – in 1997 – over the last 30 years. But slowly, with a lot of patience, Japan have built a dazzling team, which had already delivered some excellent result.

Much of the growth has been delivered via the know-how of foreign coaches, such as Dagur Sigurdsson, who led the team between 2017 and 2024, before finally accepting a new challenge to lead the Croatia men’s senior national team. 

Sigurdsson was the coach which put Japan back into the orbit, with back-to-back appearances at the Olympic Games, first as hosts at Tokyo 2020, when they finished 11th, and then at Paris 2024, when they also ended up on the 11th place, as Antonio Carlos Ortega took over the team.

Ortega preceded Sigurdsson as Japan’s coach, but he only committed for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as the Japan Handball Association continued their foray into foreign coaches leading the squad. Another Spanish coach was appointed this autumn, as Toni Gerona took over the reigns for Japan.

Gerona has plenty of experience as a national team coach, having led Tunisia and Serbia before joining Japan and he will aim to cement the team’s status, which qualified for the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship after finishing second at the 2024 AHF Asian Men’s Handball Championship, the best place for Japan in the continental competition since 2004.

With Gerona at the helm, Japan are returning to the IHF Men's World Championship after a four-year hiatus, missing out on Poland/Sweden 2023, due to their withdrawal at the 2022 AHF Asian Men's Handball Championship.

"I saw the Asian qualifications for the Paris 2024 Olympics and the World Championship and even how the team played at Olympics, seeing that the Japan's performance was getting better and better and feeling that it had a big potential. From here, I will continue to develop young people and help Japan grow even more. I want to get involved and I'm very excited because I see great potential in the team,” said Gerona upon his appointment.

Japan have a dazzling team at their disposal, albeit for the 2025 IHF Men’s World Championship, experienced players like centre back Kosuke Yasuhira and line player Shuichi Yoshida, who are featuring in Europe, have not been named in the extended squad, with the team relying on players who are featuring in Japan, plus experienced right back Shinnosuke Tokuda, currently at Qatari side Al-Duhail.

“The first goal is to win at least one match to be able to qualify for the main round of the World Championship in 2025. Then, in 2026, we host the Asian Games, in Nagoya. In the same year, the Asian Men’s Handball Championship is played. In 2027, the World Championship returns, which will take place in Germany, and the qualifiers for the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. It will be four years with a lot of work and complicated challenges,” concluded Gerona.

At Croatia/Denmark/Norway 2025, Japan will face difficult opponents, but will hope to make the main round, aiming for one of the top three places in Group F, where they face Spain, Sweden and Chile.

Against Japan, Spain have won four matches out of the four played, with a 26:22 win at the 2019 IHF Men’s World Championship and a 37:33 win in the preliminary round of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in August 2024.

Japan have lost their matches against Sweden – two at the World Championship and two at the Olympic Games – more recently at Tokyo 2020, 26:28, and at Paris 2024, 27:40, while having a split balance against Chile, one win in two matches.
 

Key players: Naoki Fujisaka (centre back), Shinnosuke Tokuda (right back), Naoki Sugioka (left wing)

Qualification: 2024 AHF Asian Men's Handball Championship: 2nd

History in the competition: 1961: 12th, 1964: 16th, 1967: 11th, 1970: 10th, 1974: 12th, 1978: 12th, 1982: 14th, 1990: 15th, 1995: 23rd, 1997: 15th, 2005: 16th, 2011: 16th, 2017: 22nd, 2019: 24th, 2021: 18th

Group at CRO/DEN/NOR 2025: Group F (Sweden, Spain, Japan, Chile)