World number one Baker, 22, who won bronze in Paris in 2014, has not competed since winning Olympic gold and has picked one of the toughest events in the sport to make his comeback.
The Tokai University member will be joined
in action by Rio 2016 Olympic bronze medallists Takato Naohisa, Kondo Ami and
Yamabe Kanae.
Tokyo Grand Slam heavyweight winner Ojitani
Takeshi and double world silver medallist Shichinohe Ryu lead the +100kg charge
for Japan with 18-year-old Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist IIDA Kentaro
earning his first international start on the IJF World Judo Tour at -100kg.
Baker has Tokyo Grand Slam bronze medallist
Nagasawa Kenta for company at -90kg while Tashkent Grand Prix silver medallist
Watanabe Hayato is alone at -81kg.
Tokyo Grand Slam winner Hashimoto Soichi
fights at -73kg with golden boy Abe Hifumi at -66kg alongside Tokyo Grand Slam
runner-up Hashiguchi Yuuki.
Takato is paired at -60kg with his Tokyo
Grand Slam 2016 conqueror and Tokai colleague in Nagayama Ryuju who is the
reigning Junior world champion.
In the women’s team Yamabe will fight at
+78kg while Asahina Sarah will make her Paris Grand Slam debut at the same
weight.
Tokyo Grand Slam winner Sato Ruika sees
action at -78kg while 20-year-old Niizoe Saki and Arai Chizuru both fight at
-70kg.
Former
Junior world champion MINEI Miho, 19, who finished fifth in Paris last year, joins
Tyumen Grand Slam winner Nouchi Aimi at -63kg.
Five-time
Grand Slam winner Yoshida Tsukasa will aim to win her first medal in France at
-57kg while Tokyo Grand Slam winner Tsunoda Natsumi makes her international bow
at -52kg. Kondo Ami completes the selection at -48kg.
Full team:
【Men】
+100kg
OJITANI Takeshi
SHICHINOHE Ryu
-100kg
IIDA Kentaro
-90kg
BAKER Mashu
NAGASAWA Kenta
-81kg
WATANABE Hayato
-73kg
HASHIMOTO Soichi
-66kg
ABE Hifumi
HASHIGUCHI Yuuki
-60kg
NAGAYAMA Ryuju
TAKATO Naohisa
【Women】
＋78kg
YAMABE Kanae
ASAHINA Sara
-78kg
SATO Ruika
-70kg
NIIZOE Saki
ARAI Chizuru
-63kg
MINEI Miho
NOUCHI Aimi
-57kg
YOSHIDA Tsukasa
-52kg
TSUNODA Natsumi
-48kg
KONDO Ami
Watch the Paris Grand Slam live and free from 11 - 12 February at www.ippon.tv