The dates for this year's World Olympic Qualification Tournaments have been announced by the FIVB ©FIVB

The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) has announced the dates for this year’s World Olympic Qualification Tournaments in Tokyo.

Doubling as a qualifier for Asian teams, the women’s event is scheduled to take place from May 14 to 22, while the men’s is due to be held from May 28 to June 5.

As well as hosts Japan, the women’s event will also feature the top three ranked teams in Asia: South Korea, Thailand and Kazakhstan.

The Netherlands and Italy, the second and third placed teams from the European Olympic Qualification Tournament, will also compete along with Peru and the Dominican Republic, runners-up at the qualifiers for the regions of South America and North, Central America and the Caribbean respectively.

The men's competition will also include home country Japan, as well as the top three ranked teams in Asia - Australia, China and Iran - and the second and third placed teams from the European Olympic Qualification Tournament, European champions France and world champions Poland.

Completing the line-up are Venezuela, the second-placed team from the South American qualifiers, and Canada, runners-up at the North, Central America and Caribbean qualifiers.

South Korea are among the nations competing in the women's competition
South Korea are among the nations competing in the women's competition ©FIVB

The best ranked Asian team at each event will qualify for the Olympics, while the top three excluding the successful Asian side will also advance.

A final vacancy per gender for Rio 2016 will be decided at a second set of World Olympic Qualification Tournaments due to be held in the period from May 14 to June 5.

They will feature the third placed teams from the South American and North, Central America and Caribbean qualifiers, and the second and third placed sides from the African Olympic Qualification Tournament.

The men's event will see Chile take on Mexico and the second and third placed teams from the African Olympic Qualification Tournament, Tunisia and Algeria.

The women's competition will be made up of Colombia, Puerto Rico and the second and third placed teams from the African Olympic Qualification Tournament, due to take place in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from February 12 to 19.

Six countries have qualified for the women's competition at Rio 2016 so far, with hosts Brazil being joined by China, Serbia, Russia, Argentina and the United States.

Already joining the home nation in the men's competition are the US, Italy, Argentina, Russia, Egypt and Cuba.