Kunieda will bid for a third straight men’s singles Paralympic gold medal in the Brazilian city having topped the podium at Beijing 2008 and London 2012.

He has been joined in Japan’s squad for the Games, which take place from September 7 to 18, by fellow wheelchair tennis player Yui Kamiji, who will be aiming to secure a first-ever Paralympic medal.

Kimura, who competes in the SB11 discipline, claimed silver in the 100m backstroke race at London 2012 and he will be hoping to go one better at Rio 2016.

The 25-year-old won the world title in the 100m freestyle and 100m breaststroke in 2013 before he went on to clinch another two gold medals at the World Championships two years’ later.

World champion cyclist Masaki Fujita will be another name to look out for during September’s Games as he will arrive in Rio desperate to improve on his best Paralympics finish – a bronze medal in the C3 time trial in London.

Rio 2016 is set to be Fujita's third Paralympic appearance.

Japan are the defending women’s Paralympic goalball gold medallists and have named four of the squad which topped the podium at London 2012.

The team will be led by Akiko Adachi and will be keen to banish the demons of their performance at the 2014 World Championships, where they were beaten by Turkey in the third-place play-off.

The Asian nation are due to send athletes in 17 of the 23 sports on the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games programme - archery, athletics, boccia, canoe, cycling, equestrian, goalball, judo, powerlifting, rowing, shooting, swimming, triathlon, table tennis, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and wheelchair tennis.

Japan returned from London four years ago with a haul of 16 medals, five of which were gold.

Their triumphs came thanks to the women’s goalball team, Kunieda, judoka Kento Masaki and swimmers Tanaka Yashurio and Rina Akiyama.

They also sealed five silvers and six bronze.