Tatsuhiko Ito (Honda), runner-up in December in 27:25.73, is the only one of the 44 Japanese men entered to have already cleared the 27:28.00 standard, so all he needs to worry about is putting himself among the first three. His nearest competition, Daiji Kawai (Toenec) and Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei), will need to find another 7 or 8 seconds to have have a shot.
None of the 23 Japanese women entered has cleared the 31:25.00 standard, but Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) came close in her debut last month in 31:30.03 and, along with sub-31:30 runner Harumi Okamoto (Yamada Holdings) and teammate Rina Nabeshima (Japan Post) goes to the line one of the favorites. Both races will feature Kenyan pacers to help ensure the races go out on Olympic-qualifying pace.
Top entrants with their best times inside the qualifying window are below. Compete start lists in Japanese can be had here.
Men
Rodgers Chumo Kwemoi (Aisan Kogyo) - 26:55.36
Cleophas Kandie (Mitsubishi Juko) - 27:20.34
Tatsuhiko Ito (Honda) - 27:25.73
Daiji Kawai (Toenec) - 27:34.86
Tetsuya Yoroizaka (Asahi Kasei) - 27:36.29
Ren Tazawa (Komazawa Univ.) - 27:46.09
Kenta Murayama (Asahi Kasei) - 27:50.09
Tatsuya Maruyama (Yachiyo Kogyo) - 27:52.27
Takashi Ichida (Asahi Kasei) - 27:52.35
Yuki Muta (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 27:57.15
Keijiro Mogi (Asahi Kasei) - 27:57.36
Tatsuya Oike (Toyota Boshoku) - 27:58.40
Yudai Okamoto (Sunbelx) - 27:58.43
Yohei Ikeda (Kanebo) - 27:58.52
Yuto Aoki (Toyota) - 27:58.63
Hiroto Inoue (Mitsubishi Juko) - 27:59.40
Ryuto Igawa (Waseda Univ.) - 27:59.74
Women
Harumi Okamoto (Yamada Holdings) - 31:29.29
Ririka Hironaka (Japan Post) - 31:30.03
Rina Nabeshima (Japan Post) - 31:31.52
Mikuni Yada (Denso) - 31:34.39
Ayumi Hagiwara (Toyota Jidoshokki) - 31:36.04
Sakiho Tsutsui (Yamada Holdings) - 31:36.19
Yuka Ando (Wacoal) - 31:37.71
Tabitha Njeri Kamau (Mitsui Sumitomo Kaijo) - 31:45.83
Shiori Yano (Denso) - 31:46.84
© 2021 Brett Larner, all rights reserved
Comments
For the Japanese women, for Tokyo, the 10k A grade (Hitomi Niiya and Mao Ichiyama) and 5k A grade (Hitomi Niiya and Ririka Hironaka). And for the Japanese men 10k A (Tatsuhiko Ito). I am not sure if there are any other people who made the A grade for 5k or 10k. Tokyo was delayed until 2021, and I am not sure when the the deadline.