Fukuoka opens the race for LA 2028 berth: Japan and the challenge of retaining Asian supremacy

Fukuoka, a late summer afternoon, before the first ball of the 2026 AVC Men's Volleyball Asian Championship was put into play, I stood in the arena hallway watching the rows of seats gradually filling up. One small detail caught my attention: a volunteer bent down to pick up a tissue someone had dropped in the aisle, then put it in their pocket. No one applauded, no one noticed. But I knew, a tournament that begins with respect for such small details often brings great stories. And this tournament, certainly, is a big story: the race for the men's volleyball berth at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics has officially begun in Asia. The context of this year's tournament is very special. Not just an ordinary Asian Championship, the event in Fukuoka also serves as a World Cup qualifier, and more importantly, marks the starting point for Asian national teams seeking a spot at the 2028 Summer Olympics. For Japan, the host nation and defending champions, the pressure comes not only from having to defend their title in front of home fans, but also from the expectations of an entire volleyball community that is rising strongly. They are in Pool A with Bahrain, Oman, and Australia – a group theoretically not too difficult, but one with its own traps. Looking at their historical depth and ranking, Japan is clearly the number one contender for the title. They are the highest-ranked team among AVC members on the FIVB World Ranking, standing at sixth place. They are also the most decorated team in the tournament's history with a collection of 10 gold medals, 4 silvers, and 4 bronzes. In the last three editions of the Asian Championship, they have always reached the podium. Not to mention, they are the only AVC team to have ever triumphed at an Olympics, with their historic gold medal at Munich 2026. Recently, at the 2026 Volleyball Nations League (VNL), they finished fourth – a result showing consistent form on the international stage. But this very dominance raises a big question: Is Japan's supremacy inadvertently reducing the tournament's competitiveness? I recall the SEA Games editions I covered, where a team too strong for the rest often made matches predictable and less attractive. However, in a tournament as important as an Olympic qualifier, no match is truly easy. Australia, the 2026 champions, are always a tough opponent with their physical and disciplined style. Bahrain or Oman, though not highly rated, can punish any complacency in a knockout format. I have followed Asian volleyball for over two decades, and I have realized one thing: teams like Japan are not only strong professionally, but also very strong in sports culture. How they organize tournaments, how they take care of spectators, how they create a professional competition environment – all reflect a sustainable volleyball ecosystem. The fact that all matches will be streamed live on the VBTV platform is also a positive signal, showing that fan interest and the commercial potential of Asian men's volleyball are growing. The story in Fukuoka this time is not just Japan's story. It is the story of an entire continent seeking its place on the world volleyball map. An Olympic berth is a goal, but the journey to that berth is what truly deserves attention. And as I often tell young colleagues, look at how a team behaves when they lose, when they face difficulties, to understand their true character. In a tournament where everything seems predetermined, surprises always have their place. Records, as I have written, are the most fragile things in sports. They only last when touched with reverence, not with the ambition to break them. Japan stands before an opportunity to write a new chapter in their volleyball history. But they also understand that every match, every set, every rally is a challenge. And those challenges, big or small, deserve respect. As the first Pool A match is about to begin, I look up at the stands where Japanese flags are flying in the sun. I don't know which team will step onto the top podium of this tournament. But I know that what happens on the court in Fukuoka in the coming days will be crucial pieces of the larger picture of Asian volleyball on its road to Los Angeles 2028. And I will be here, recording every moment, every emotion, as a keeper of memories for a generation of players and fans.