Japan's women's national-team head coach Tsukada Maki has set out how her squad is preparing for an unusual stretch of the international calendar: the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games run from 30 September to 3 October, and the Baku World Championships begin the following day, giving Japan's judoka 12 consecutive days of major competition.

The Asian Games judo events take place at the Aichi International Arena, with preliminary rounds from 11:00 and finals from 17:00 each day. The world championships run from 4 to 11 October in Baku, Azerbaijan. Both events count towards qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Video: TBS sports — archive footage from Tsukada's appointment as women's national-team head coach, October 2024. Open on YouTube

Domestic camps, then Kazakhstan

Tsukada said the national team for both events was confirmed in April, with camps beginning in May. The squad then ran a series of individually dispersed camps before an August training camp in Kazakhstan. She acknowledged that the summer heat makes it harder for athletes to maintain concentration, but said preparation had gone broadly to plan, with only minor injuries.

The Kazakhstan camp brought an unexpected benefit. Fewer of the anticipated opponents attended than expected, but Japanese athletes were still able to test themselves against the physical strength, longer reach and left-right gripping styles of foreign judoka — qualities they cannot replicate at home. Randori with overseas athletes is always conducted at contest intensity, which Tsukada described as demanding but high quality, and a significant stimulus for younger squad members with limited international experience.

She added that overseas camps also matter for team building: spending time together away from their normal environment creates closer communication and a deeper mutual understanding between athletes and coaches.

Final adjustment

A pre-event camp is scheduled for September, after which the coaching staff will check each athlete's condition and work with their club coaches on final adjustments. Tsukada said both championships matter with an eye on Los Angeles 2028.

Sources