Team Japan 2016 – Two Kentas in, Sayakas swap

The Nippon Badminton Association (NBA) has announced the members of the Japanese national team for 2016 and several successful shuttlers from the past year have moved to the A Team.  New mixed doubles national champions Kenta Kazuno and Ayane Kurihara (pictured above right) were moved up, as was men’s singles shuttler Kenta Nishimoto (pictured above left).  In the women’s team, Korea Masters winner Sayaka Sato took over the singles spot occupied in early 2015 by team-mate Sayaka Takahashi.  Injury-plagued women’s doubles pair Reika Kakiiwa / Miyuki Maeda were relegated to the B Team, with Japan Open semi-finalists Shizuka Matsuo / Mami Naito taking their spot among the elite.

The selections are made by the coaching staff based on the year’s performance but with heavy emphasis on players’ results at the All-Japan Championships, which concluded on December 6th.  Being on the A Team means that players will be far more likely to feature in Superseries events and in team events such as the Asian Team Championships in February.

Japan National Team A

For complete lists in Japanese of both the A and B teams, complete with player photos, click here to see the rosters on the NBA website