The Japan Handball Association announced on May 12 a 24-player squad for the first training camp of the 2026 season for the Women’s Youth National Team (U-18). The camp will take place from May 24 to 26 at the Tokyo Women’s College of Physical Education. It was also confirmed that Japan will compete in Group G at the IHF Women’s Youth (U-18) World Championship in Romania, set to start on July 29, alongside Slovakia—the 2025 European Youth Champions—as well as Brazil and Angola.
This training camp marks the first activity of the 2026 season with the ultimate goal of preparing for the 11th IHF Women’s Youth (U-18) Handball World Championship, scheduled from July 29 to August 9 in Romania. The squad primarily consists of players from the generation that finished as runners-up at the 2025 Asian Youth Championship.
The tournament will feature 32 nations. Japan is placed in Group G with Slovakia (the 2025 European Youth Champion), Brazil, and Angola. The preliminary round consists of eight groups of four teams each, with the top two from each group advancing to the main round.
**Group A:** Croatia, France, Egypt, Fiji
**Group B:** Denmark, Czech Republic, South Korea, Mexico
**Group C:** Spain, Germany, Guinea, Uzbekistan
**Group D:** Montenegro, Argentina, Netherlands, TBD (to be determined)
**Group E:** Hungary, Sweden, Tunisia, Canada
**Group F:** China, Romania, Kazakhstan, Uruguay
**Group G:** Slovakia, Japan, Brazil, Angola
**Group H:** Switzerland, Serbia, Slovenia, Algeria
*Note: Group D’s TBD slot is due to Paraguay’s withdrawal; a replacement team will be decided later according to IHF regulations.*
### Coaches and Staff
– Head Coach: Jang So-hee
– Assistant Coach: Komatsu Mariko
– Goalkeeper Coach: Komatsu Masako
– Doctor: Onishi Shinzo
– Trainer: Takegami Ayaka
– Analyst: Taguchi Mayu
### Player Roster (as of May 12, 2026)
– Suzuki Yukina (PV, 166cm, 18, Kokushikan University, Iwate)
– Iimura Yuri (BP, 167cm, 18, Tokai University, Ibaraki)
– Nakaya Kotoko (BP, 165cm, 18, Fuji University, Iwate)
– Makino Kokomi (BP, 165cm, 18, Kansai University, Kyoto)
– Nakasuji Kaito (BP, 163cm, 18, Prestige International Almare Toyama, Toyama)
– Takeuchi Kokomi (PV, 170cm, 17, Showa Gakuin High School, Ibaraki)
– Miura Hina (BP, 156cm, 17, Lutheran Gakuin High School, Kumamoto)
– Kanazawa Kaho (BP, 162cm, 17, Showa Gakuin High School, Saitama)
– Wakayama Bana (BP, 168cm, 17, Chiharadai High School, Kumamoto)
– Nakagawa Rinoa (BP, 161cm, 17, Chiharadai High School, Kumamoto)
– Goto Juliet Masa (RW, 167cm, 17, Club de handball Celtique de Montréal, Canada)
– Nagata Ayane (PV, 170cm, 17, Oita Tashiro High School, Oita)
– Tango Karin (GK, 170cm, 17, Oita Tashiro High School, Oita)
– Kanayama Mizuki (BP, 166cm, 17, Rakuhoku High School, Kyoto)
– Hamaguchi Rio (BP, 168cm, 17, Showa Gakuin High School, Tottori)
– Matsuura Yu (GK, 172cm, 17, Takamatsu Commercial High School, Kagawa)
– Sasaki Oto (GK, 171cm, 17, Showa Gakuin High School, Miyagi)
– Uchiyama Honoka (PV, 163cm, 17, Chiharadai High School, Kumamoto)
– Sugimoto Yui (BP/RW, 153cm, 17, Osaka Commercial University Sakai High School, Osaka)
– Sakamoto Asami (GK, 168cm, 17, Rakuhoku High School, Kyoto)
– Shingaki Rui (GK, 177cm, 17, Urasoe High School, Okinawa)
– Ito Aika (BP/RW, 164cm, 16, Inabe Sogo Gakuen High School, Mie)
– Saito Sakiho (LW, 154cm, 16, Kobe Seijou High School, Aichi)
– Maeda Riko (BP, 170cm, 16, Komatsu Municipal High School, Ishikawa)
*Position abbreviations: BP = Back Player, LW = Left Wing, RW = Right Wing, PV = Pivot, GK = Goalkeeper*
The PDF version of the squad list is available on the Japan Handball Association website.