Olympics 2024: Can anyone stop the Japanese domination in Judo

The Olympics is one of the most highly anticipated events on the sporting calendar. The last games were overshadowed by the coronavirus pandemic, initially scheduled to take place in 2020, things were moved behind closed doors, and in Tokyo, the Japanese were ruthless when it came to their medal count.

Indeed, it was a strong display from the host nation, who came third behind China and the USA but gave a strong account of themselves on familiar territory. As athletes gear up for this year’s Olympics, held in Paris, the Japanese will once again be looking to pick up gold in many areas - with Judo perhaps their best bit of establishing dominance.

In this article, we explore Japan’s relationship with Judo as well as their goals for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Read on to find out more.

History

Japan has long been a powerhouse of Judo, with an illustrious history of the martial art at the Olympic Games. Japan has consistently excelled since judo’s inclusion in the Olympics in 1964 - which Tokyo also hosted. The country’s reputation as a judo powerhouse stems from its deep-rooted tradition, technical expertise, and relentless pursuit of excellence and high standards.

The land of the rising sun has always had legends at the Olympic level, with several leaving their mark on the sport. Yasuhiro Yamashita clinched the gold medal in the open-weight category at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, with his dominance and technical prowess made him a legend in the judo world and paved the way for the likes of Tadahiro Nomura, a three-time gold medalist, and Kosei Inoue, who excelled in the higher weight classes, to write their own history.

Japan’s performance in the 2021 World Judo Championships was nothing short of spectacular, with multiple gold medals across weight categories, but at the Olympics was where their class truly shone through. Their teams excelled across the different weight categories, with only Czech athlete Lukáš Krpálek picking up the 100kg plus gold. Expect more of the same this year on the road to Paris.

Team Japan in 2024

Earlier this year, The All Japan Judo Federation announced their final squad for the Olympics, when they added Aaron Wolf, the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist, as the 14th judoka for this summer's Games. It completes a strong roster that the best betting sites in the UK have as a shoo-in to pick up several medals.

As well as Wolf, Japan has Tadahiro Nomura and Uta Abe, as well as Shohei Ono, who represents the Lightweight division.

The 29-year-old became an Olympic champion in 2016 and is a force to be reckoned with. His dynamic style and powerful ippon throws have won fans over and after picking up his second medal in Tokyo he has said he is excited to embark on a new challenge in Paris.

“I’m excited, I can travel a lot more to the other countries, learn about different cultures and languages,” he said. “This is a very good experience for me, especially this training camp with my sensei HOSOKAWA Shinji, where we can demonstrate our techniques together, laugh together and just spend this time together means a lot to me.

“When I was a competitor, I probably hated judo little bit, in a good way of course, but now I’m enjoying much more in many other ways. Because of that, I respect Sensei so much. I need to improve my English, after Grand Slam Paris I’m coming back to my English school in Edinburgh.”

Training and Preparation for the 2024 Olympics

Japan’s judo athletes follow rigorous training regimens, combining technical drills, strength conditioning, and randori, their own form of sparring. The team trains at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo, where coaches emphasise mental resilience and adaptability, which is engrained on them since birth. Their hard work when the action commences is perhaps a physical representation of the nation itself..

Expect Japan to once again dominate in the City of Light. Japan’s judo team enters the 2024 Olympics with confidence and determination. While challenges exist, their legacy and preparation make them clear favourites, and they will be hoping the rest of their country can help them achieve their dreams when the action unfolds later this summer.