The Japan national judo team returned home on October 13 following their campaign at the Judo World Championships held from October 4 to 11 in Azerbaijan, capturing a total of 13 medals including seven gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in individual events alongside a mixed team championship.
Individual Division Medal Haul and Weight Class Results
Japan’s athletes secured dominant finishes across numerous weight categories during the individual competition in Azerbaijan. In the women’s divisions, Wakana Koga (25) claimed gold in the 48kg class, Uta Abe (26) secured gold at 52kg, Akari Omori (24) took gold in the 57kg category where Momo Tamaki (32) finished seventh, and Kaho Karashige (26) won the 63kg title. Additional women’s results included Shiho Tanaka (28) exiting in the third round at 70kg, Beni Ikeda (23) taking bronze at 78kg, and Mao Arai (23) placing seventh in the 78kg-plus division, where megastar Sone Tomomi (26)—registered as Sone Akira—was defeated in her opening match.
On the men’s side, Ryuju Nagayama (30) earned bronze at 60kg, Hifumi Abe (29) won the 66kg gold medal, and Takeshi Takeoka (27) claimed bronze in the same weight class. Ryoga Tanaka (22) captured gold at 73kg, Yuhei Ono (25) exited in the second round at 81kg, Sanshiro Murao (26) secured the 90kg title, and Goki Tajima (29) took silver in that division. Rounding out the men’s individual brackets, Michio Arai (21) earned a silver medal at 100kg, and Kanta Nakano (26) advanced to the third round of the 100kg-plus category.
Mixed Team Championship Victory and Strategic Reform
The tournament concluded with the mixed team event on the final day, where Japan defeated its opponents to capture the world title for the eighth time and secure victory for the first time in two tournaments. The triumph follows consecutive final losses to France at the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games, as well as the snapping of Japan’s seven-tournament championship streak at the previous World Championships, which had established team competition revitalization as an urgent priority for the national governing body.
To address the shortfall ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, coaching staffs initiated joint men’s and women’s training camps earlier this year to break down barriers between squads and elevate overall team capabilities. Men’s coach Suzuki noted that the collaborative sessions allowed coaches to gain deeper familiarity with female athletes’ characteristics and styles. Men’s coach Takashi Ono provided direct technical instruction to female team members, facilitating a level of cross-gender tactical communication that was previously unavailable during isolated training regimens.
Coaching Assessments on Team Execution and Future Objectives
Reflecting on the competitive block, men’s head coach Suzuki stated that athletes fielded in double-entry weight classes performed exceptionally well against international opponents without suffering defeats, expressing deep gratitude for the squad’s competitive effort. Women’s head coach Tsukada pointed out that the team approached the world championships centered around two primary pillars: reproducibility and coordination. Tsukada emphasized that these tactical foundations produced consistent results from the lightweight classes up through the 63kg division, culminating in the team title.
Despite the overall haul of 13 medals, both leaders acknowledged that further development is required to solidify squad cohesion. Tsukada and Suzuki plan to increase the frequency of joint training camps moving forward, aiming to forge a more unified national team capable of operating with synchronized tactical intent ahead of future international fixtures.
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