Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics
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Japan competed at the
2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
in
Beijing } Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
,
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
. The delegation of athletes and officials were represented by the
Japanese Olympic Committee The is the National Olympic Committee in Japan for the Olympic Games movement, based in Tokyo, Japan. It is a non-profit organisation that selects teams and raises funds to send Japanese competitors to Olympic events organised by the Internati ...
. The list of qualified entries for Japan is shown. In some cases, the country qualified for a position in the Olympic Games, and the individual performance in the qualifying event was good enough to guarantee the same person a spot on Japan's team. In other cases, the Japan Olympic Committee assigned a competitor at a later date to fill some of the country's qualified positions, and the Olympic competitor may or may not be the same as the one who participated in the qualifying competition.


Medalists

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Archery

Japan qualified four archers (two men and two women) through the 2007 World Outdoor Target Championships individual competitions, and added a third women's qualification spot at the Asian Championships. This allowed Japan to compete in the women's team competition at the Olympics, as well as having three women and two men compete in the individual competitions.
Takaharu Furukawa is an archery athlete from Japan, competing in both individual and team archery events. He competed in the 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2020 Summer Olympics. He is the 2006 All-Japan National Champion, Archery career Furukawa began his archery car ...
, Ryuichi Moriya, Nami Hayakawa,
Sayoko Kitabatake is an athlete from Japan who competes in archery. She competed under her birth name Sayoko Kawauchi (川内 紗代子) at the 2004 Olympics. Kawauchi represented Japan at the 2004 Summer Olympics. She placed 53rd in the women's individual rankin ...
and Yuki Hayashi were the archers who earned the qualification spots for Japan. Japan has not yet won an Olympic gold medal in archery; its best results are a pair of silver medals, including Hiroshi Yamamoto's in the 2004 men's individual competition. ;Men ;Women


Athletics

;Men ;Track & road events ;Field events ;Women ;Track & road events ;Field events


Badminton

;Men ;Women


Baseball

Japan's victory in the
2007 Asian Baseball Championship The 24th Asian Baseball Championship was contested in Taichung, Taiwan in November and December 2007. The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Baseball Federation. The winner of the tournament will gain automatic entry into the 2008 Olympic Games ...
qualified the
Japan national baseball team The is the national team representing Japan in international baseball competitions. It won the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009, as well as WBSC Premier12 in 2019. The team is currently ranked 1st in the world by the World Baseball Sof ...
for Olympic competition. Japan, along with Cuba, has appeared in every Olympic baseball tournament since the sport was elevated to official status. Japan has reached the semifinals each year and taken one silver and two bronze medals, but has yet to win the Olympic championship. ;Roster Pitchers: *
Yu Darvish , more commonly known as Yu Darvish (ダルビッシュ 有), is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). Darvish has also played in MLB for the Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and ...
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Kyuji Fujikawa is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Fujikawa pitched in the 2006 and 2009 World Ba ...
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Hitoki Iwase Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a retired Japanese professional baseball player from Nishio, Aichi, Japan. He holds the NPB record for career saves and mound appearances. In 2005, he marked 46 saves with a 1.88 ERA, ...
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Kenshin Kawakami Kenshin Kawakami (川上 憲伸) (born June 22, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chunichi Dragons and in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves. Japanes ...
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Yoshihisa Naruse Yoshihisa Naruse (Japanese:成瀬 善久, born, October 13, 1985 in Tochigi, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player. He is a pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball. He made his debut in the 2006 season. In 2007, Naruse ha ...
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Toshiya Sugiuchi is a Japanese baseball player. He is a left-handed starting pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants. Sugiuchi was the Eiji Sawamura Award winner in . He has had some of the most international experience of any active Japanese baseball player, pitching ...
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Masahiro Tanaka is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). From 2007 through 2013, he played for the Eagles in NPB. Tanaka was posted by the Eagles after the 2013 season to be si ...
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Koji Uehara is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He previously played for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), as well as the Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (M ...
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Tsuyoshi Wada is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs. Wada pitched in the 2004 Athens and 2008 Be ...
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Hideaki Wakui is a Japanese Professional baseball pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Seibu Lions / Saitama Seibu Lions, Chiba Lotte Marines and Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Wakui pitched ...
Catchers: *
Shinnosuke Abe is a Japanese former professional baseball player who spent his entire 19-year career with Nippon Professional Baseball's Yomiuri Giants, serving as the team's captain from 2007 to 2014. He has twice been named the MVP of the Nippon Professional ...
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Tomoya Satozaki is former a Japanese professional baseball player. He played the entirety of his career with the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , me ...
* Akihiro Yano Infielders: *
Takahiro Arai Takahiro Arai (Japanese: 新井 貴浩, born January 30, 1977 in Naka-ku, Hiroshima) is a Japanese professional baseball player for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball. His younger brother Ryota Arai, Ryota is also a p ...
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Masahiro Araki is a retired Japanese professional baseball player. He played predominantly at second base for the Chunichi Dragons. He was noted for his speed and defense. Early career Araki was a first-round draft pick by Chunichi in 1995, out of high schoo ...
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Munenori Kawasaki is a Japanese professional baseball shortstop and second baseman for the Tochigi Golden Braves of Baseball Challenge League in Japan. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and in Major League Baseb ...
* Shinya Miyamoto *
Shuichi Murata is a third baseman for the Tochigi Golden Braves of Baseball Challenge League. Murata led the Central League in home runs in both and and is one of the few pure home run hitters in Japanese professional baseball today. He played in the 200 ...
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Hiroyuki Nakajima , nicknamed "Nakaji", is a Japanese professional baseball infielder for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Saitama Seibu Lions and Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and the ...
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Tsuyoshi Nishioka is a Japanese former professional baseball infielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines and Hanshin Tigers, as well as Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins. Nishioka played in the 2006 ...
Outfielders: *
Norichika Aoki is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Toro ...
* Atsunori Inaba * Masahiko Morino *
G. G. Sato , also known as G. G. Sato, is a former professional player for the Philadelphia Phillies organization, Saitama Seibu Lions, Chiba Lotte Marines, and Fortitudo Baseball Bologna. Career Sato began his professional career signing with the Phila ...
Group stage




Group table Semifinal Bronze medal game


Boxing

Japan qualified two boxers for the Olympic boxing tournament. Masatsugu was the first when he qualified at the World Championships.World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007
Satoshi was the second, qualifying at the first Asian qualifying event.1st AIBA Asian Olympic Boxing Qualification Tournament
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Canoeing


Slalom


Sprint

Qualification Legend: QS = Qualify to semi-final; QF = Qualify directly to final


Cycling


Road


Track

Japan has qualified entries in men's Keirin, sprint, team sprint and points race, and women's points race and sprint. ;Sprint ;Keirin ;Omnium


Mountain biking


BMX


Diving

One Japanese member qualified for the 3 meter springboard event, by virtue of
Ken Terauchi is a Japanese diver, who specialized in springboard and platform events. He had won two bronze medals for the springboard diving at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, in addition to his first at the 2001 FINA World Championships in Fukuoka. ...
's third-place finish in the semifinal round at the 2007 World Championships. This was the first individual qualification spot earned by Japan for the 2008 Olympics. ;Men ;Women


Equestrian


Dressage


Eventing


Show jumping

Taizo Sugitani finished qualifying in 37th place which made him a reserve rider for the final. After several qualified horses tested positive for use of capsaicin, he was moved up and participated in Final A.


Fencing

;Men ;Women


Field hockey


Women's tournament

;Team roster ;Group play ;9th–10th place


Football (soccer)


Men's tournament

;Roster ;Group play


Women's tournament

;Roster ;Group play ;Quarterfinals ;Semifinals ;Bronze medal game ;Final rank 4th place


Gymnastics


Artistic

;Men ;Team *Due to a coaching decision, Hiroyuki Tomita started in the individual all-around final instead of Koki Sakamoto. Tomita had finished qualification in 6th place, but behind his teammates Uchimura and Sakamoto, and no more than two gymnasts from the same nation are allowed in the final. ;Individual finals ;Women ;Team ;Individual finals Kyoko Oshima qualified for the All-Around final of the top 24 gymnasts because the number of finalists from the same nation is limited to two. Thus, five gymnasts ranked ahead of her were ineligible. For the same reason, Koko Tsurumi appeared in the balance beam apparatus final.


Rhythmic

Japan have qualified a rhythmic gymnastics group.


Trampoline


Judo

;Men ;Women


Modern pentathlon


Rowing

;Men ;Women Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage


Sailing

;Men ;Women ;Open M = Medal race; EL = Eliminated – did not advance into the medal race; CAN = Race cancelled;


Shooting

;Men ;Women


Softball

Team roster *
Naho Emoto (born August 25, 1985 in Kyoto) is a Japanese softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. ...
* Motoko Fujimoto *
Megu Hirose (born April 23, 1981 in Hyōgo Prefecture) is a Japanese softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professi ...
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Emi Inui is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held fr ...
*
Sachiko Ito is a Japanese softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in ...
*
Ayumi Karino (born 6 November 1984 in Hyogo Prefecture) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), we ...
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Satoko Mabuchi is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She plays as an outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. Thes ...
*
Yukiyo Mine is a Japanese softball player who plays as a catcher. She won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international m ...
*
Masumi Mishina (born 12 March 1982 in Kanagawa) is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an inter ...
*
Rei Nishiyama is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held f ...
*
Hiroko Sakai is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from ...
* Rie Sato *
Mika Someya is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held fr ...
*
Yukiko Ueno is a Japanese,
(in Japanese). ''Japan Softball League''. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
medal-winning
*
Eri Yamada is a Japanese softball player who won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics. At Beijing, Yamada hit .344 in the tournament while belting two home runs and driving in five for Japan. In the gold medal game s ...
Preliminary round




Group table Semifinal Bronze medal game The winner of this game advanced to the final while the loser won bronze. Final Final rank:


Swimming

;Men ;Women * Competed in heats only; WSO - Win swim-off; LSO - Lost swim-off


Synchronized swimming


Table tennis

;Men's singles ;Women's singles ;Team


Taekwondo


Tennis


Triathlon


Volleyball


Beach


Indoor

Japan qualified teams in both the men's and women's tournaments. The men's team lost all five matches in the group play, finishing last in their group, and failing to qualify for the final round. The men's final ranking was tied for 11th place. The women's team won two of the matches in the group play, and advanced to the quarterfinals, where they lost to Brazil. The women's final ranking was tied for 5th place.


Men's tournament

;Roster ;Group play


Women's tournament

;Roster ;Group play ;Quarterfinal


Weightlifting


Wrestling

Japan has qualified in the following quota places. ;Men's freestyle ;Men's Greco-Roman ;Women's freestyle


References


External links


sports-reference Sports-Reference: Japan at the 2008 Summer Olympics






Xinhua, July 14, 2007 {{DEFAULTSORT:Japan At The 2008 Summer Olympics Nations at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...