Masayoshi Manabe took on Japan's women's team in 2009 and engineered their breakthrough at the 2014 World Grand Prix, guiding the team to a second-place finish in Group 1. They finished a respectable sixth in Group 1 at the 2015 edition. Manabe also led Japan to a bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games and bronze medals at the 2010 World Championships and 2013 Grand Champions Cup, both of which were played on home soil. Before taking over as coach of the national team, Manabe was in charge of Japanese women's club Hisamitsu Springs and was a player-coach with his home country's Nippon Steel Blazers. A setter in his playing days, Manabe represented Japan at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games..