The Japan men's volleyball team defeated Qatar in straight sets on Thursday in its opening match at the Asian qualifying round for the FIVB World Championships, while Japan's women improved to 2-0
Tatsuya Fukuzawa was the match's top scorer, netting 12 points as the hosts, ranked 19th in the world, dispatched the 53rd-ranked Qataris 25-18, 25-22, 25-18.
The Japan women's team, which won the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics, cruised past Vietnam 25-9, 25-16, 25-20. The Vietnamese women are ranked 93rd in the world.