Masato Kai (甲斐 優斗, Kai Masato; born 25 September 2003) is a Japanese male volleyball player and an Olympian. He plays…Masato Kai (甲斐 優斗, Kai Masato; born 25 September 2003) is a Japanese male volleyball player and an Olympian. He plays as an outside hitter for the Japan men's national volleyball team and Osaka Bluteon.
Wataru Morishige (Japanese: 森重航, born 17 July 2000) is a Japanese speed skater who represented Japan at the 2022 Winter…Wataru Morishige (Japanese: 森重航, born 17 July 2000) is a Japanese speed skater who represented Japan at the 2022 Winter Olympics and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Shintaro Kato (加藤慎太郎, Kato Shintaro; born 18 October 1999) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a defender for…Shintaro Kato (加藤慎太郎, Kato Shintaro; born 18 October 1999) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a defender for Vanraure Hachinohe.
Keisuke Nishimura (西村 慧祐, Nishimura Keisuke; born 19 February 1998) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a…Keisuke Nishimura (西村 慧祐, Nishimura Keisuke; born 19 February 1998) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a defender for Montedio Yamagata.
Naoki Kanuma (鹿沼 直生, Kanuma Naoki; born 7 December 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive…Naoki Kanuma (鹿沼 直生, Kanuma Naoki; born 7 December 1997) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for J2 League club Tokushima Vortis.
Shohei Kawakami (河上 将平, Kawakami Shohei; born 26 October 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a…Shohei Kawakami (河上 将平, Kawakami Shohei; born 26 October 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Kamatamare Sanuki.
Ryoma Kida (氣田 亮真, Kida Ryoma; born 12 August 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a midfielder for…Ryoma Kida (氣田 亮真, Kida Ryoma; born 12 August 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Montedio Yamagata.
Daiki Yamagiwa (山極 大貴, Yamagiwa Daiki; born 24 July 1998) is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a Lock. He…Daiki Yamagiwa (山極 大貴, Yamagiwa Daiki; born 24 July 1998) is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a Lock. He currently plays for Green Rockets Tokatsu in Japan's domestic Top League. He was a candidate for the U20 Japan National Team, but he was not selected.
Daiki Watanabe (渡邉 大樹, Watanabe Daiki; born June 7, 1997) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays…Daiki Watanabe (渡邉 大樹, Watanabe Daiki; born June 7, 1997) is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays outfielder for the Orix Buffaloes.
Komaki Kikuchi (born 22 February 1997) is a Japanese fencer. She won the gold medal in the women's team foil event at…Komaki Kikuchi (born 22 February 1997) is a Japanese fencer. She won the gold medal in the women's team foil event at the 2018 Asian Games held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2019, she won the gold medal in the women's team foil event at the Asian Fencing Championships held in Chiba, Japan. In the same year, she also competed in the women's foil event at the World Fencing Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. She was eliminated in her first match by Julia Walczyk of Poland. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, Kikuchi won the bronze medal in the women's team foil event; it marked Japan's first ever medal in the event.
Minami Ando (安藤 みなみ, Andō Minami; born 12 February 1997) is a Japanese table tennis player. She was the winner of the…Minami Ando (安藤 みなみ, Andō Minami; born 12 February 1997) is a Japanese table tennis player. She was the winner of the 2016 Finlandia Open. She has also won several medals from both the 2017 Summer Universiade and the 2019 Summer Universiade.
Iwana Kobayashi (小林 岩魚, Kobayashi Iwana; born 17 October 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a…Iwana Kobayashi (小林 岩魚, Kobayashi Iwana; born 17 October 1997) is a Japanese footballer currently playing as a midfielder for Ventforet Kofu of J2 League.
Keito Yamakita (山北渓人; born August 4, 1996) is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the strawweight…Keito Yamakita (山北渓人; born August 4, 1996) is a Japanese mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the strawweight division of Pancrase and ONE Championship, where he is the former Pancrase Strawweight champion.
Naoto Baba (馬場 直人, Baba Naoto; born 20 July 1996) is a Japanese cross-country skier who competes internationally. He…Naoto Baba (馬場 直人, Baba Naoto; born 20 July 1996) is a Japanese cross-country skier who competes internationally. He represented his country at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Kei Hirose (廣瀬 慧, Hirose Kei; born 20 November 1995) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder…Kei Hirose (廣瀬 慧, Hirose Kei; born 20 November 1995) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Super League club Java United.
Hayate Tsuta (蔦 颯, Tsuta Hayate; born 7 June 1995) is a Japanese footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for…Hayate Tsuta (蔦 颯, Tsuta Hayate; born 7 June 1995) is a Japanese footballer who last played as a goalkeeper for Vanraure Hachinohe.
Rinya Nakamura (Japanese: 中村倫也, Nakamura Rinya; born 23 March 1995) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former…Rinya Nakamura (Japanese: 中村倫也, Nakamura Rinya; born 23 March 1995) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler who currently competes in the bantamweight division. Competing at 61 kilograms, Nakamura became the 2017 U23 World Champion during his wrestling career, before retiring at age 25 to pursue mixed martial arts.
Yoshihiro Noguchi (born 26 December 1994) is a Japanese rugby sevens player. Noguchi made his international sevens…Yoshihiro Noguchi (born 26 December 1994) is a Japanese rugby sevens player. Noguchi made his international sevens debut for Japan at the 2017 Asian Sevens Series in Incheon, South Korea. He competed for Japan at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Ryosuke Tsuchiya (土屋 良輔, Tsuchiya Ryōsuke; born 29 November 1994) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's…Ryosuke Tsuchiya (土屋 良輔, Tsuchiya Ryōsuke; born 29 November 1994) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Taro Kondo (近藤 太郎) (born 8 September 1994) is a Japanese speed skater. Kondo competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics for…Taro Kondo (近藤 太郎) (born 8 September 1994) is a Japanese speed skater. Kondo competed at the 2014 Winter Olympics for Japan. In the 1000 metres he finished 35th overall and in the 1500 metres he finished 31st. Kondo won a bronze medal at the 2014 World Junior Speed Skating Championships, in the 1000 m. Kondo made his World Cup debut in December 2012. As of September 2014, Kondo's best World Cup finish is 4th in a 1000 m B race at the World Cup stop in Nagano in 2012–13. His best overall finish in the World Cup is 41st, in the 1500 metres in 2012–13.
Takahiro Iida (飯田 貴敬, Iida Takahiro; born August 31, 1994) is a Japanese footballer. He plays for J1 League club JEF…Takahiro Iida (飯田 貴敬, Iida Takahiro; born August 31, 1994) is a Japanese footballer. He plays for J1 League club JEF United Chiba.
Yasutaka Yanagi (柳 育崇, Yanagi Yasutaka; born June 22, 1994) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a centre-back for J3…Yasutaka Yanagi (柳 育崇, Yanagi Yasutaka; born June 22, 1994) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a centre-back for J3 League club Tochigi SC.
Shunsuke Nakamura (中村 駿介, Nakamura Shunsuke; born 16 May 1994) is a Japanese professional footballer who played as a…Shunsuke Nakamura (中村 駿介, Nakamura Shunsuke; born 16 May 1994) is a Japanese professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Teruhito Nakagawa (仲川 輝人, Nakagawa Teruhito; born 27 July 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a…Teruhito Nakagawa (仲川 輝人, Nakagawa Teruhito; born 27 July 1992) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for J1 League club FC Tokyo.
Yusuke Hoshino (星野 有亮, Hoshino Yusuke; born May 12, 1992 in Tokyo) is a Japanese former football player who last played…Yusuke Hoshino (星野 有亮, Hoshino Yusuke; born May 12, 1992 in Tokyo) is a Japanese former football player who last played for Gainare Tottori.
Kengo Kitazume (北爪 健吾, Kitazume Kengo; born 30 April 1992) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for…Kengo Kitazume (北爪 健吾, Kitazume Kengo; born 30 April 1992) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a right back for Matsumoto Yamaga FC, on loan from J1 League club Shimizu S-Pulse.
Kazuki Nagasawa (長澤 和輝, Nagasawa Kazuki; pronounced [na̠ɡa̠za̠wa̠ ka̠zɯ̟ᵝkʲi]; born 16 December 1991) is a Japanese…Kazuki Nagasawa (長澤 和輝, Nagasawa Kazuki; pronounced [na̠ɡa̠za̠wa̠ ka̠zɯ̟ᵝkʲi]; born 16 December 1991) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for A-League club Wellington Phoenix.
Naoki Uto (宇都直輝, Uto Naoki; born June 11, 1991) is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Toyama Grouses of…Naoki Uto (宇都直輝, Uto Naoki; born June 11, 1991) is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Toyama Grouses of the B.League in Japan.
Kenta Tateyama (born December 26, 1990) is a Japanese former professional basketball player who last played for the…Kenta Tateyama (born December 26, 1990) is a Japanese former professional basketball player who last played for the Saitama Broncos of the B3 League in Japan. He was referred as a genius by Akita's former head coach Kazuo Nakamura.
Naoki Kuriyama (栗山 直樹, Kuriyama Naoki; born 8 December 1990), more commonly known as Kuriyama, is a Japanese retired…Naoki Kuriyama (栗山 直樹, Kuriyama Naoki; born 8 December 1990), more commonly known as Kuriyama, is a Japanese retired footballer who played as a centre-back or left-back.
Takashi Satō (佐藤天, Satō Takashi; born June 9, 1990) is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight…Takashi Satō (佐藤天, Satō Takashi; born June 9, 1990) is a Japanese mixed martial artist who competes in the Welterweight division. A professional since 2013, he is most notable for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Tsubasa Nishi (西翼, Nishi Tsubasa; born 8 April 1990) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a…Tsubasa Nishi (西翼, Nishi Tsubasa; born 8 April 1990) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Yamato Machida (町田 也真人, born December 19, 1989) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Giravanz…Yamato Machida (町田 也真人, born December 19, 1989) is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder for Giravanz Kitakyushu in the J3 League.
Masashi Kuriyama (栗山 雅史, Masashi Kuriyama; born (1988-07-14)14 July 1988) is a Japanese male volleyball player. He was…Masashi Kuriyama (栗山 雅史, Masashi Kuriyama; born (1988-07-14)14 July 1988) is a Japanese male volleyball player. He was part of the Japan men's national volleyball team. On club level he plays for Suntory Sunbirds in V.League division 1. On February 10, 2023, Suntory Sunbirds announced that Masasha Kuriyama was set to retire after the season 2022-2023. The retirement ceremony will be held on Match 18 2023.
Kaoru Takayama (高山 薫, Takayama Kaoru; born July 8, 1988) is a Japanese football player for Taiwan Football Premier…Kaoru Takayama (高山 薫, Takayama Kaoru; born July 8, 1988) is a Japanese football player for Taiwan Football Premier League club Taichung Futuro.
Ayana Onozuka (小野塚彩那, Onozuka Ayana; born March 23, 1988) is a Japanese freestyle skier. She won a bronze medal at the…Ayana Onozuka (小野塚彩那, Onozuka Ayana; born March 23, 1988) is a Japanese freestyle skier. She won a bronze medal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and the 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships.
Hirofumi Watanabe (渡部 博文, Watanabe Hirofumi; born July 7, 1987 in Nagai, Yamagata) is a former Japanese football player…Hirofumi Watanabe (渡部 博文, Watanabe Hirofumi; born July 7, 1987 in Nagai, Yamagata) is a former Japanese football player who last played for Renofa Yamaguchi FC.
Masatsugu Kawachi (川内 将嗣, Kawachi Masatsugu; born November 25, 1985 in Kashima, Saga) is a Japanese boxer best known…Masatsugu Kawachi (川内 将嗣, Kawachi Masatsugu; born November 25, 1985 in Kashima, Saga) is a Japanese boxer best known for winning bronze at the 2007 world championships at light welterweight.
Tomoyuki Arata (荒田 智之, Arata Tomoyuki; born October 3, 1985 in Shizuoka) is a former Japanese footballer who last…Tomoyuki Arata (荒田 智之, Arata Tomoyuki; born October 3, 1985 in Shizuoka) is a former Japanese footballer who last played for Japanese club Nagano Parceiro. He was named J2's Rookie of the Year for 2008.
Yuya Hasegawa (長谷川 勇也, Hasegawa Yūya; born 22 December 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder, and…Yuya Hasegawa (長谷川 勇也, Hasegawa Yūya; born 22 December 1984) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder, and current research and development coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Hasegawa played for Fukuoka starting in 2007, wearing number 24. In 2009, he batted .312.
Keitaro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 K太郎, Nakamura Keitarō; born May 22, 1984) is a Japanese professional mixed martial…Keitaro Nakamura (Japanese: 中村 K太郎, Nakamura Keitarō; born May 22, 1984) is a Japanese professional mixed martial artist and grappler currently competing in the Welterweight division of RIZIN. A professional competitor since 2003, he has formerly competed for the UFC, World Victory Road, Pancrase, Shooto, DREAM, Vale Tudo Japan, and DEEP. He is the former Sengoku Welterweight Champion, Shooto Pacific Rim Middleweight Champion, and also won the World Victory Road Welterweight Grand Prix Tournament in 2010. In submission grappling, Nakamura took part in both the 2009 and 2011 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, making it to the second round and winning via points in both.
Kyosuke Mikami (三上 恭佑, Mikami Kyōsuke; born December 29, 1983), better known by his ring name El Desperado (エル・デスペラード…Kyosuke Mikami (三上 恭佑, Mikami Kyōsuke; born December 29, 1983), better known by his ring name El Desperado (エル・デスペラード, Eru Desuperādo), is a Japanese luchador enmascarado (or masked professional wrestler). He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and is one-half of the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions with Místico in their first reign as a team and Desperado's fifth individual reign. He was a member of the Suzuki-gun stable from 2014 until its disbandment in 2022. Mikami was trained by the NJPW dojo and worked for NJPW for two years as a Young Lion. In 2012, he traveled to Mexico for a learning excursion, working for NJPW's Mexican affiliate Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) as the masked character Namajague, a Spanish translation of Namahage, a Japanese folk demon. While in CMLL, he won his first professional wrestling title alongside Okumura, the CMLL Arena Coliseo Tag Team Championship, in March 2013. After being unmasked due to losing a match and briefly working without one, Mikami returned to NJPW in January 2014 and was repackaged under another mask as El Desperado. During his time with Suzuki-gun, he is a former two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a four-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion (alongside Yoshinobu Kanemaru).
Yujiro Kushida (櫛田 雄二郎, Kushida Yūjirō; born May 12, 1983) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial…Yujiro Kushida (櫛田 雄二郎, Kushida Yūjirō; born May 12, 1983) is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, better known by his mononymous ring name Kushida (stylized as KUSHIDA). He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and also makes appearances for Major League Wrestling (MLW), where he is a member of Contra Unit. He is best known for his tenures with NJPW, where he is a former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a four-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion (twice with Time Splitters teammate Alex Shelley and twice with Kevin Knight). He was the winner of the 2015 and 2017 Best of the Super Juniors tournaments, the 2016 Super J-Cup, and the 2017 Pro Wrestling World Cup, a tournament co-promoted by NJPW with What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) and Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro). Kushida previously made appearances for NJPW's American partner Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former ROH World Television Champion. In 2019, Kushida signed with WWE, who assigned him to perform on the 205 Live and NXT brands. In WWE, he is a former one-time NXT Cruiserweight Champion. In 2022, he departed from WWE and returned to NJPW; he signed with TNA (then known as Impact Wrestling) in December of that same year. Kushida began training for a mixed martial arts (MMA) career at Nobuhiko Takada's Takada Dojo while in junior high school. He made his professional MMA debut in 2003 for the ZST promotion, winning the following year's ZST Genesis Lightweight Tournament. In 2005, he retired from MMA, ending his career with an undefeated record.
Michael Katsuhisa (勝久 マイケル, Katsuhisa Maikeru) is a former professional basketball player and the head coach of the…Michael Katsuhisa (勝久 マイケル, Katsuhisa Maikeru) is a former professional basketball player and the head coach of the Shinshu Brave Warriors in the Japanese B.League.