Miu Goto highlights renovated Japan roster for WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Asia qualifier
World No. 2 Japan announced their roster for the Women’s Softball Asia Cup, a continental qualifier for the World Cup to be played from 2-8 April in Incheon, Korea. The top three teams in the final standings will earn a berth at the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup.
Four Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medallists are part of the team, including left-handed pitcher Miu Goto who will lead the pitching staff for this tournament. Haruka Agatsuma, Hitomi Kawabata and Minori Naito are the other three Olympians in the roster.
Japan National Softball Team - Asia Cup:
- Haruka Agatsuma - C
- Miu Goto - P
- Mio Goto - P
- Kyoko Ishikawa - IF
- Hitomi Kawabata - IF
- Risa Kawamura - OF
- Yume Kiriishi - C
- Kanna Kudo - IF
- Minori Naito - IF
- Ayane Nakagawa - OF
- Yui Nakamizo - IF
- Hinako Nakayama - P
- Yui Sakamoto - IF
- Eri Shimoyama - IF
- Hanna Sone - P
- Hotaru Tsukamoto - OF
The Asia Cup will award three tickets to the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Group Stage. The winner of the qualifier will be allocated in Group C, to be played in Castions di Strada and Buttrio, Italy, from 22-26 July. Second-place finisher in Asia will play in Group B in Valencia, Spain, from 18-22 July; while the Asia Cup bronze medallist will compete in Group A in Fingal-Dublin, from 11-15 July.
In addition to the Asian Cup, and possibly the Women’s Softball World Cup, Japan will defend their gold medal at the postponed Asian Games Hangzouh 2022, to be played from 26 September to 2 October in Shaoxing, China.
The extended Japan roster held a two-week training camp in Yomitan Village, Okinawa Prefecture, from 6-17 March, in preparation for the 2023 international season.