Japan strives to 'reach closer to China' in Asiad swimming

Japanese swimming team's goal at the Incheon Asian Games is to reach "closer" to their Chinese rivals, team spokesman Ogura Tatsuo told reporters on Thursday at the Munhak Park Tae-hwan Aquatic Center after the morning training session.

Tatsuo admitted that there is a gap between the two teams. However he said Japan has high hopes on Kosuke Hagino, who has been regarded as the new leader of the Japanese team.

Hagino, who just turned 20, won a bronze medal in the 400 metres individual medley at the 2012 London Olympics, then silver in the 400m freestyle and 200m individual medley at last year's world championships in Barcelona.

He also grabbed gold in 200m and 400m individual medleys at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championship held in Australia last month.

Another rising star is world champion Daiya Seto, also 20 years old, who won the gold medal in 400m individual medley at the Barcelona world championship.

As for the women's team, Tatsuo said the gap between Japan and China is even wider despite Kanako Watanabe's gold medal in 200 metres breaststroke at the Pan Pacific championship in August.

"Watanabe has already had her training at this venue," said coach Yosiaki Takamura, "however, she is not in the shape as good as we had hoped. She is far from in the best shape right now."

Takamura said the team still hopes that Watanabe will take a gold for Japan at these Games.

Japan, a traditional swimming powerhouse in Asia, has been challenged and surpassed in some events by China and South Korea in recent years. The team also lacks a super star like Sun Yang for China and Park Tae-hwan for South Korea after the decline of Kosuke Kitajima, the so-called King of Breaststroke.