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Japan to Play Uzbekistan in Men's Volleyball at Asian Games

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Japan's men's volleyball national team will face Uzbekistan on 27 September at the 2026 Asian Games. The Asian Games is a major multi-sport event held across Asia.

The match will be shown live on terrestrial TV in Japan. It will also be available through online streaming, so fans can watch it on the internet as well as on television.

Team member Tatsunori Otsuka spoke ahead of the game. He said he hopes this tournament will turn his team's confidence into full certainty, meaning a strong belief that they can win.

Otsuka is seen as one of the team's leaders. He explained that he puts special meaning into his serve, a shot used to start each point in volleyball. For him, a powerful serve is a way of showing his sense of responsibility as a leader.

The Asian Games men's volleyball tournament brings together national teams from across the region. Matches like Japan versus Uzbekistan are important steps toward the later stages of the competition.

Broadcasters are giving fans several ways to follow the action. Viewers in Japan can choose between watching the free TV broadcast or streaming the match online, depending on what is most convenient for them.

As the Asian Games continue, more matches involving Japan's men's volleyball team are expected to be broadcast in a similar way, giving fans regular chances to support the national side throughout the tournament.

Vocabulary6 words

volleyball
a sport where two teams hit a ball over a net
Asian Games
a large sports event with many countries from Asia
streaming
watching video content live over the internet
certainty
being very sure about something
serve
the shot that starts a point in volleyball
tournament
a series of games to find a winner

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Quiz

1. When will Japan play Uzbekistan?
2. What did Otsuka say he wants the tournament to do?
3. True or False: The match will be available both on TV and online.

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Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Japan's men's volleyball national team will face _____ on 27 September.

The Asian Games is a major multi-sport _____ held across Asia.

The match will be shown live on _____ TV in Japan.

It will also be available through online _____.

Tatsunori Otsuka spoke ahead of the _____.

He said he hopes this tournament will turn confidence into full _____.

Otsuka is seen as one of the team's _____.

He puts special meaning into his _____.

For him, a powerful serve shows his sense of _____ as a leader.

Viewers in Japan can choose between watching the free TV broadcast or _____ the match online.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think broadcasters offer both TV and online streaming for sports events?
  2. What does it mean for an athlete to feel 'certainty' instead of just confidence?
  3. How important is leadership within a sports team, in your opinion?
  4. Have you ever watched an international sports tournament online? What was that experience like?

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