Lacrosse: Japan Women Advance to the World U20 Semifinals

HONG KONG — Japan defeated England 12-6 in the quarterfinals of the World Lacrosse Women's U20 Championship on Wednesday, August 21.

As a result, the Japan women earned a place in the tournament's semifinal round for the first time. (The tournament was previously known as the Women's U19 World Championship and was last held in 2019.)

In beating England on Wednesday at Hong Kong Football Club Stadium, Japan had a balanced offensive attack, with Hinako Ono, Miri Akiyama, Haruka Takeuchi and Negai Nakazawa scoring two goals apiece. Akiyama and Nakazawa also both registered one assist.

Team captain Nakazawa, who's also a University of Louisville lacrosse standout, was named the MVP of the game.

Japan secured a spot in the quarterfinals with a 3-1 record in Pool D in the 20-nation tournament. Also joining Japan in the semifinals are the United States, Canada and Australia, all of which went 4-0 in the opening round.

On Thursday at Mong Kok Stadium, Australia and the United States, the reigning tourney champion, meet in the first semifinal match (5 PM JST), followed by Japan vs Canada (8 PM JST).

Japan achieved a major goal by booking a spot in the semifinals.

"A women's team in Japan has never finished above fifth place, so winning in the quarterfinals was our first biggest goal," Japan midfielder Riho Kasai said, according to the World Lacrosse website.

"Winning as a team was such a great feeling. Our energy comes from us always sharing the same goal of getting a medal and that shared goal keeps us together."

Background on the 1st Lacrosse Women's U20 Championship to be Held in Asia

The World Lacrosse Women's U20 Championship is being held from August 15-24 in Hong Kong.

As noted above, the event's name has been changed. It was previously the U19 Championship, in reference to the under-19 age group.

Since the lacrosse tournament was first held in 1995, it took place every four years until 2019. Past tournaments were held in the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and Scotland. And Japan had three fifth-place finishes in the first seven editions of the tournaments, most recently in 2019.

In 2024, since most players competing in the U20 Championship are college students, August was chosen to stage the tournament in Hong Kong.

Heavy rain in Hong Kong has impacted the tournament, causing changes to the schedule. Matches have been held at venues with artificial grass and venues with natural grass.

The Road to the Semifinals

After a 12-11 defeat to Ireland in the lacrosse tournament opener on August 16, Japan won three consecutive Pool D matches to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

Japan, the world's fifth-ranked team, defeated Jamaica 21-3 on August 17 to start its win streak, then beat fourth-ranked England 12-7 the next day and topped Hong Kong 17-2 on August 20.

Japan's Secret Lacrosse Weapons

In the 2024 Women's U20 Championship, Japan has three secret weapons. All three are student-athletes in the United States: Nakazawa, Megan Kitagawa and Miku Kayla Agarie.

Nakazawa plays for the same NCAA Division I lacrosse team that her older sister, Kokoro suited up for (2021-24). Their father, Yuji, was a longtime Japan soccer national team player.

During the game against Ireland, Negai Nakazawa collided with an opponent, breaking teeth. But she played the next day against Jamaica.

"I felt frustrated at the game against Ireland, but changed my mind to win the next game," said Nakazawa, who contributed four points during the pool stage of the tourney.

Kitagawa is a sophomore at Yale University. She moved to the United States when she was a baby. She began to play lacrosse at 5 years old.

During the rout of Hong Kong on August 20, Kitagawa led all players with six goals. She was awarded the Player of the Match prize. And looking ahead, Kitagawa dreams of playing for Japan at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Joining college students Nakazawa and Kitazawa among Japan's secret weapons is Agarie, the team's youngest player.

Now a 15-year-old high school student living in California, Agarie was born in the United States and began to play lacrosse at age 8.

Agarie watched the 2022 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship in Baltimore on TV and aspired to become a Team Japan player. She applied to play for Japan and commuted from California to practices two days a month in Japan since March.

In pool play, Agarie had six goals during Japan's four matches.

Upcoming Major Lacrosse Events in Asia

The World Lacrosse Men's U20 Championship will be held in South Korea in July 2025.

In 2026, Japan will host the World Lacrosse Women's World Championship, followed by the World Lacrosse Men's World Championship in 2027.

A year later, lacrosse will be held as an Olympic medal sport for the first time in 120 years. At the Los Angeles Olympics, sixes lacrosse, a fast-paced version of the sport (with six players per side instead of 10), will be played.

(Read the article in Japanese.)

Author: Hidemitsu Kaito

Hidemitsu Kaito is a staff writer at JAPAN Forward. In addition to his other duties, he has been covering the sport of lacrosse internationally and in Japan since 1989.