Lausanne, Switzerland, May 18, 2018 - Australia take on Japan in Rouen to open Pool 1 of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, looking to close the gap on their current 2-4 head-to-head record against their Asian Volleyball Confederation rivals.
Head-to-Head
• Japan have won four of their six encounters with Australia in world level major competitions.
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Japan won their first world level encounter with Australia in straight sets, at the 1997 Grand Champions Cup. Japan went on to defeat Australia at the 2015 World Cup (3-1) and twice at the 2017 World League (3-1, 3-2).
• That final victory for Japan came in the semifinals of group 2 of the 2017 World League, when they defeated hosts Australia in five sets in Gold Coast. Japan went on to lose the final versus Slovenia.
• Australia's two victories over Japan came at the 2007 World Cup (3-0) and at last year's World League on 16 June (3-2 in preliminary round).
• Australia and Japan also met in the quarterfinals of the 2017 Asian Championship. Japan won in straight sets and went on to lift their second Asian title in a row.
• In qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games, Australia defeated Japan 3-0 in the world qualification tournament in Tokyo on 2 June. Despite that win, both Australia and Japan failed to qualify for Rio.
Australia
• Australia's best result in a world level major tournament was a fifth place at the 2014 World League.
• At last year's World League, Australia had to play in group 2. After a third place in the preliminary round, Australia were knocked out in the semifinals by today's opponents Japan and ultimately finished in 15th place overall.
• Australia were the only representative in men's volleyball from the Asian AVC at the 2012 Olympic Games. They were knocked out in the preliminary round, despite winning two of five matches, and ultimately finished in joint-ninth place.
• Australia also participated at the Olympic Games in 2000 (as hosts, eighth place) and 2004 (11th place).
• Australia are currently in joint-16th place on the FIVB World Ranking, alongside Cuba.
Japan
• Japan are the reigning Asian champions in men's volleyball as they won the Asian title in both 2015 and 2017.
• On the FIVB World Ranking, Iran (8th place) are the only Asian team occupying a higher position than Japan (12th).
• The last time Japan finished on the podium of a world level major tournament was in 2009, when they finished in third place at the Grand Champions Cup.
• Japan's only victory in a world level major tournament came in 1972, when they won the Olympic title in Munich. They are the only Asian team to have won the Olympic title in men's volleyball.
• At last year's World League, Japan were drawn in group 2. They went on to reach the final, but lost against Slovenia and ultimately finished in 14th place overall.
• Last year, Japan hosted the 2017 Grand Champions Cup. They lost all of their five matches, claiming only two sets in the process, and finished in last place.