BERLIN (Germany) - Watch Japan and Kokoro Tanaka for long enough and one thing quickly becomes apparent: there are plenty of smiles.
Even when it's not clutch time, I always play believing that if I attack aggressively, it will definitely create openings for the players around me
Whether on the court, on the bench or away from the action, there is an unmistakable sense of joy surrounding AKATSUKI JAPAN especially like the ones shining when they were on a roll in their win against Mali.
For Tanaka, that isn't something she has had to learn since breaking into the senior national team. Smiling comes naturally.
"When I'm having fun, I naturally end up smiling," explained Tanaka, who finished her World Cup debut with an impressive 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists.
“I've always like to prefer to laugh and smile.”
But the young guard is also quick to point out that the environment around her has made it easy to do exactly that.
"It's really thanks to the senior players that, right from the beginning, they created an environment where it was easy for me to play and be myself."
That culture could prove especially important as Japan step onto the biggest stage at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2026.
Behind the smiles, after all, is a team preparing to test itself against the very best in the world.
For Tanaka, the journey to Berlin has also been one of personal growth.
Last year's FIBA Women's Asia Cup was her first major tournament with the senior national team, bringing with it both sides of international basketball - the difficult moments as well as the memorable ones.
"My first tournament as a member of the senior national team was the Asia Cup, and at that Asia Cup I really got to experience both difficult moments and some of the best moments," she reflected.
"A lot of high highs and a lot of low lows."
"Having gone through both of those experiences, I feel like I've been able to grow a lot from there to where I am now."
Some of that growth has come from learning to lean on the people around her.
Tanaka admitted that previously she had a tendency to keep things to herself when times became difficult. Being part of the national team has helped change that.
"I really talked things through with the senior players, and I also talked with my friends," she said.
"Until then, I had tended to keep quite a lot of things bottled up inside myself, but with the help of different people, I was able to let those things out. That made things a lot easier for me, and I was able to move past some of it."
It provides another glimpse into what sits behind Japan's upbeat exterior.
The smiles are genuine, but so too is the support system underneath them - experienced players helping younger teammates feel comfortable, players leaning on one another through difficult moments, and a group determined to enjoy the challenge in front of them.
There is no shortage of experienced players on this World Cup squad for Japan. From legends Maki Takada and Ramu Tokashiki to captain Yuki Miyazawa to proven stars Rui Machida and Mai “Money” Yamamoto.
And there will be no shortage of challenges in Berlin either.
Tanaka is particularly intrigued by the opportunity to discover how her game measures up against players operating at the highest level.
"I'm really looking forward to having this opportunity to play against players who compete at such a high level," she said.
"When I actually come up against that level, I'm also really excited to see how much of what I've been practicing up until now I'll be able to put into action."
“I’m really excited for that.”
Germany provide one particularly fascinating test.
Rather than focusing solely on the strength of their opponent, however, Tanaka sees the matchup as an opportunity for Japan to prove they can retain their own identity when the level rises.
"When we play Germany, the level is obviously going to be extremely high. They're a really strong team," she acknowledged.
“We get to face them in their home environment. It's going to be a really hostile atmosphere for us.”
“We're really excited for that and you know, our battles to see if we can play our style basketball and you know, against a top-level team in any environment and not hold back and just be Japan basketball.”
That willingness to remain aggressive also reflects Tanaka's own approach.
She demonstrated it recently in an exhibition game against Korea, delivering in a decisive late-game moment. Yet ask her about performing under clutch-time pressure and there is no dramatic change of mentality to describe.
For Tanaka, the point is that there shouldn't be one.
"Even when it's not clutch time, I always play believing that if I attack aggressively, it will definitely create openings for the players around me," she explained.
"As long as there's an opening for me, I'm always thinking that I should keep attacking, again and again
"So rather than changing my mindset just because it's clutch time, from the very beginning of the game I try to play with that same really strong mentality."
It is perhaps an appropriate reflection of Japan themselves.
The smiles and laughter may be what you notice first, but they shouldn't be mistaken for a lack of competitive edge.
Instead, joy is part of the environment in which that edge has been allowed to flourish.
For Tanaka, it has provided a place where she can play freely, attack without hesitation and continue growing alongside teammates who have helped her feel at home from the beginning.
Now comes the biggest test of all.
And Japan intend to meet it their way - together, aggressive and, more than likely, with smiles on their faces.
FIBA