During the buildup to the 2025 IFAF Asia-Oceania Flag Football Championships, IFAF looks back to the 2023 tournament with a feature on each of the four finalists in the men’s and women’s competitions.
Japan was the tournament’s only women’s team with prior international experience when the inaugural IFAF Asia-Oceania continental championships were played in Malaysia.
Two years on, Japan has won the bronze medal at the 2024 IFAF Flag Football World Championships in Finland, but faltered at The World Games this summer, finishing seventh overall.
In Finland at the world championships last summer, there was plenty of offense on show as Japan fought back from trailing with almost a minute to play. Then they denied Austria to win by the slimmest of margins by 41-40 to claim third place overall.
At The World Games in August, Japan lost 32-27 to Canada at the quarterfinals stage and then fell to China in the first round of placement games. They ended the tournament on a high note as star quarterback Chihiro Iwata threw for five touchdowns in a seventh-place game shutout of Italy. Moe Miyake, Yuri Nakahata and Yurika Omi caught first half scores then Akari Uematsu reeled in two second half touchdowns to complete the win.
Nobuhara Norikazu will lead Japan’s women’s team as he did as acting head coach at The World Games in China, having been appointed head coach earlier this month.
“Our team strengths will be speedy play and individual leadership,” he says. “We have many players to watch, including defensive back Miyuna Yamamoto wide receiver and captain Yurika Omi and our quarterback Chihiro Iwata.”
Two years ago in Kuala Lumpur, Japan swept aside Thailand 60-19, Indonesia 61-6, and Korea in a 39-point shutout. The only other unbeaten team early on in Group A was Australia and they were dispatched convincingly by 33 unanswered points on the second day, ensuring Japan topped the table heading into the knockout stages.
New Zealand was beaten 42-14 in the semifinals to set up a rematch against Australia for the gold medal. The Aussies put up a fight, but Japan were irrepressible as Iwata targeted Omi and Yuki Sato for multiple touchdowns in a 47-29 championship game victory.
Now Japan will hope to recapture the form from 2023 and 2024 and rebound on their home continent.
