Lausanne, Switzerland, May 22, 2018 - Japan host Belgium Wednesday in Toyota, as both look to return to victories after dropping their opening matches in Week 2 of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League to USA and The Netherlands respectively. It's the third time the two sides go head-to-head, with Japan having won both previous encounters in 2014.
Head-to-Head
• Japan have won both previous matches against Belgium at world level major tournaments.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Both of Japan's win came in 2014 - 3-0 on home soil at the World Grand Prix, and 3-1 at the World Championships.
• Belgium have only played more major world level matches versus Brazil (8), Italy (5), China (4) and Serbia (3, inclunding Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro) without winning any of them.
Japan
• Japan have lost three of their four VNL matches, with the only exception a 3-1 win against Germany on 17 May.
• Japan have won at least two matches at each of the last 24 world level major tournaments they have competed in, since recording only one victory at the 2005 Grand Champions Cup.
• Japan could lose four consecutive matches as hosts at world level major tournaments for the first time since the final round of the 2013 World Grand Prix.
• Sarina Koga (58) is Japan's leading VNL scorer.
Belgium
• Belgium have won two of their four VNL matches, beating Korea and Dominican Republic and losing against China and Netherlands.
• Belgium could win more than two matches at a world level major tournament for the first time since the 2014 World Championships (4).
• Belgium's last two VNL matches have both gone to five sets (one win, one defeat). This is the first time they have had consecutive five-setters at a world level major tournament.
• Belgium have two players with at least 70 VNL points - Kaja Grobelna (74) and Britt Herbots (70).