The national tournament serves as a key proving ground to determine the top student weight-class competitors in Japan. On the opening day of competition, Meiji fielded five competitors across the men’s middle and lightweight categories alongside one entry in the women’s 70-kilogram division. While multiple athletes advanced deep into the brackets, the men’s 73-kilogram category provided the program’s highest podium finishes through Suetsugu and Takahashi.
Men’s 73-Kilogram Division: Takahashi and Suetsugu Reach the Podium
Takahashi quickly established momentum. He opened his campaign with an osaekomi-waza (hold-down) victory before securing an ippon win in the second round. In the third and fourth rounds, Takahashi deployed consistent o-soto-gari attacks to claim a yusei-gachi (superiority) decision and another ippon, respectively, booking a spot in the semifinals. “I was able to throw using my favorite techniques, which was good,” Takahashi said after reaching the penultimate round.
The semifinal match brought a tougher test against an aggressive opponent. Both competitors received shido penalties before Takahashi was caught midway through the bout by an o-uchi-gari for ippon, ending his run at the final. Despite missing out on the championship match in his debut appearance at the tournament, Takahashi looked ahead with resolve: “I will win next time. I won’t lose.”
On the opposite side of the 73kg bracket, Suetsugu faced a grueling path. His second-round opener stretched into Golden Score overtime before he secured a victory via inner thigh throw (uchimata). Suetsugu maintained that physical edge into the third round with a tomoe-nage throw and added a waza-ari with an o-uchi-gari in the fourth round to reach the semifinals. “Starting around the third match, I gradually got into my own pace and was able to stay calm,” Suetsugu said.
The semifinal pitted Suetsugu against the same opponent who defeated him at the previous year’s Kodokan Cup. The bout extended deep into Golden Score following a tense, scoreless grip-fighting exchange. At 5 minutes and 18 seconds of extra time, Suetsugu fell to a triangle choke (sankaku-jime) ippon defeat. Reflecting on the result, Suetsugu admitted to lingering frustration after finishing as the runner-up last year: “I came into the tournament determined to win it all this year, so it’s a frustrating feeling.” Looking toward the Kodokan Cup, he added, “Last year I finished fifth at the Kodokan Cup, so I definitely want to place this time. If I place, I can enter the pool of prioritized national team athletes, so that’s what I’m aiming for.”
Deep Runs in the 81-Kilogram and 70-Kilogram Brackets
In the men’s 81-kilogram division, Teiji Okuda and Satoshi Kasakawa both advanced to the quarterfinals before bowing out of medal contention. Okuda, who captured the All-Japan Junior Weight Category title earlier, dropped his quarterfinal bout when he conceded a score via sumi-gaeshi with 55 seconds remaining on the clock. Despite a late flurry of attacks, Okuda could not erase the deficit. Kasakawa mounted an active foot-technique strategy in his quarterfinal match but was caught vulnerable near the end of regulation, conceding a deciding score.
In the women’s 70-kilogram division, Aoi Yoshinaga advanced smoothly through her opening three matches. Her tournament ended in the quarterfinals after she conceded an early score via o-soto-gake. Despite drawing a penalty during her recovery efforts, Yoshinaga was countered near the final bell with an o-uchi-gaeshi, resulting in an ippon loss that sealed a quarterfile finish.
