The Japan Judo Federation has officially unveiled its delegation for the 2026 Turkey Junior International Judo Championships, set to take place in Istanbul from May 2–3, 2026. The announcement, made on April 17, 2026, confirms a team of 20 athletes and staff members who will represent Japan at the event hosted in Turkey’s largest city.
The squad includes 14 competitors across various weight classes for both men and women, supported by six coaching and medical staff. Head coach Chiji Konno of Kisarazu Sogo High School leads the men’s coaching team, joined by Yusuke Kumashiro of International Budo University, Tomohiro Kawakami of Kokugakuin University, Ryo Kurose of the Metropolitan Police Department, and Masato Maekawa of Ibaraki Prefectural Police. Sho Matsuda of Martha Medical Inc. Serves as the team’s trainer.
On the men’s side, Japan will field athletes in the following categories: In the over 100kg division, Kaihin Tokida (first-year, Meiji University) and Shinato Nagano (third-year, Kokushikan High School) have been selected. For the 100kg class, Tomoya Takashita (first-year, Meiji University) and Ryuto Sakai (third-year, Tokai Kofu High School) will compete. The 90kg category features Mwodo Nakosutin (second-year, Tokai University) and Shirō Nuruki (first-year, Meiji University).
In the 81kg division, Taichi Okuda (third-year, Meiji University) and Eikichi Obata (first-year, Kokugakuin University) have been named. The 73kg class includes Kanata Takahashi (third-year, Meiji University) and Yuya Yokoyama (first-year, Nihon University). For 66kg, Ryuji Hirai (second-year, Nagasaki Nihon University High School) and Shoma Ogaki (second-year, Kokugakuin University) will represent Japan. In the 60kg division, Osei Fujimoto (third-year, Yamanashi Gakuin University) and Yusuke Yoshimura (second-year, Kokugakuin University) complete the male roster.
The women’s team, though not fully detailed in the weight-class breakdown provided, will compete in the 48kg, 52kg, and 57kg divisions on May 3, and the 63kg, 70kg, and 78kg divisions on May 2, according to the event schedule released by the Japan Judo Federation. Specific athlete names for the women’s categories were not included in the verified announcement materials.
The competition will follow a two-day format: On Saturday, May 2, men’s events will be held for the 60kg, 66kg, and 73kg classes, while women’s competitions will take place in the 63kg, 70kg, and 78kg divisions. On Sunday, May 3, men’s matches will occur in the 81kg, 90kg, 100kg, and over 100kg categories, with women’s bouts in the 48kg, 52kg, and 57kg weight classes.
All matches will be streamed live via JUDO TV, the official platform of the International Judo Federation (IJF), allowing global audiences to follow the action in real time. The Istanbul event serves as part of the junior international circuit, offering emerging talent valuable experience ahead of senior-level competitions.
The Japan Judo Federation confirmed that the delegation departed for Istanbul in early May, with final preparations underway at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo prior to departure. No official sponsorship details or partner organizations were specified in the verified announcement released on April 17, 2026.
As the team prepares for competition, fans and followers can access updates through the Japan Judo Federation’s official website and social media channels. The next major checkpoint for Japanese judo will be the Baku World Championships later in 2026, for which preliminary team selections were announced in early April.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continued coverage of the 2026 Turkey Junior International Judo Championships as results grow available from Istanbul.
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