At the Tokyo Olympics and men's basketball, Japan lost to Argentina 77-97 in the final round of the qualifying league, losing three consecutive games and did not advance to the final tournament.
"Akatsuki Five" The tallest wall in the world
The Japanese national team has become a team called "the strongest in history" due to the raising of the domestic league and the birth of two NBA players. Even so, it did not reach the victory for the first time in 45 years at the Olympic Games.
The last time the Japanese national basketball team participated in the Olympic Games was the 1976 Montreal Games. Since then, the size of overseas athletes has increased, and Japan has been far from the Olympics for a long time.
The strengthening of domestic players and the acquisition of fans did not progress, and in 2005, the bj league was established to compete with the Japanese league at that time, which was centered on corporate teams, and there are two leagues.
In 2014, the International Basketball Federation, which saw this as a problem, imposed sanctions on Japan for suspension of qualifications, and at one point it was not even possible to participate in international games.
The "dark ages" that came after the stagnation of the Japanese national team and the division of the league.
However, this was a turning point.
The Japan Basketball Association has radically reformed its organization with Mr. Saburo Kawabuchi as its chairman.
The B League, a unified league, was born, which led to the lifting of sanctions.
After that, the B League expanded nationwide.
Yuki Togashi and Daiki Tanaka, who were also found in high-level leagues with top overseas players, became the main members of the national team, and after accumulating achievements in international competitions, they grabbed the participation in the Olympic Games in the host country frame.
A further tailwind was the birth of the NBA player.
Yuta Watanabe, who moved to the United States after graduating from high school and became the first Japanese NBA player in 14 years since Yuta Tabuse.
The following year, Rui Hachimura was nominated for the first time in the first round of the draft.
Both of them are over 2 meters tall, and the two of them, who are as good as overseas players in terms of physique, continue to hone their skills on the world's highest stage, giving the Japanese national team a great impetus.
The representative of Japan has grown to become known as the "strongest in history" as a result of these steps.
The Tokyo Olympics were one of the culminations, but they were bounced off the high walls of the world and did not reach the victory for the first time in 45 years.
The nickname of the Japanese national team is "Akatsuki Five".
I would like to believe that the day will come when the players will use this regret to announce the "dawn" to the Japanese basketball world.