The Japanese volleyball federation and issued a notice of summoning the two athletes, JT Marvelous and Melisa Valdez of PFU Blue Cats on the coaching camp of the Japanese women's volleyball team.
Both athletes will participate as a student and it is unclear whether it is officially included in the formal team when both are foreign athletes with Japanese nationality.
Jaja Santiago's wife was naturalized after getting married here, accepting to abandon the Philippine women's volleyball team to raise the hope of being able to join the Japanese volleyball team to attend the Paris Olympic Games 2024.
Meanwhile, Valdez was Cuban's original beat but moved to Japan from an early age and she also successfully naturalized in the island nation many years ago. She is expected to be the future of Japanese women's volleyball.
Santiago used to wear a Philippine female volleyball shirt and was considered the No. 1 star of this team. She participated in the last tournament with the hometown team in the 31st SEA Games in 2022 in Vietnam.
It is unclear according to the new rules of the World Volleyball Federation, whether the Filipino “Volleyball Dinosaur” can wear Japanese women's volleyball shirts at international tournaments.
However, with the call to focus even though as a student is also a big step for her. She will also not attend the opening friendly tournament to concentrate with other Japanese volleyball stars.