Kyoto Police Officer Makes Historic Debut at All-Japan Men’s Open Weight Judo Championships — First Kyoto Athlete in 5 Years to Compete at Nippon Budokan

TOKYO — A 27-year-old Kyoto Prefectural Police officer is set to make his debut at the All-Japan Judo Championships this weekend, marking the first appearance by a Kyoto-based competitor in five years and the first from the prefectural police force in a decade.

Simosuke Nakao, standing at 170 centimeters tall, will compete in the open-weight men’s division at Nippon Budokan on April 26, 2026. His qualification comes after years of persistence in a sport where his stature presents a significant disadvantage against heavier opponents.

“I want to energize the Budokan and spread the name of the Kyoto Prefectural Police,” Nakao said in a recent interview, expressing his determination ahead of the tournament.

The open-weight category, which pits athletes of all sizes against each other without weight restrictions, typically favors heavier competitors. Nakao’s height places him well below the average for elite judoka in this division, where 100-kilogram-plus athletes often dominate due to inherent advantages in leverage, and power.

To counter this physical disparity, Nakao has developed a distinctive gripping technique. Though he uses a standard right-handed grip, he relies heavily on lifting with his left hand alone to unbalance opponents, a method he describes as essential to overcoming his reach disadvantage.

“My philosophy is to execute unorthodox judo that opponents dislike for the full five minutes,” Nakao explained. “I’ve focused intensely on refining this unique grip strategy to compensate for what I lack in size.”

Nakao’s judo journey began early. Born in Nara Prefecture’s Tenri City — widely regarded as a judo stronghold — he started training at age four after being taken to a local dojo by his father, a judo practitioner. He quickly found himself at the renowned “Dotokan” dojo, where he trained through middle school, high school, and university, achieving national-level results throughout his amateur career.

Despite his success in middleweight competitions, Nakao repeatedly failed to qualify for the All-Japan Championships through regional preliminaries due to the open-weight format’s bias toward heavier athletes.

After graduating from university, he joined the Osaka Prefectural Police but left after two years to pursue an environment more supportive of his athletic ambitions. In 2023, he re-entered law enforcement as a “special training recruit” with the Kyoto Prefectural Police, a designation that allows officers to dedicate significant time to elite sports training.

The move proved pivotal. Nakao made his first appearance at the Kansai Regional Championships last year and successfully navigated the Kyoto prefectural qualifiers this year to earn his Budokan berth.

“Age-wise, I don’t get many chances like this,” Nakao said. “I came into this qualifier thinking if I didn’t make it to the All-Japan Championships this year, I never would.”

His perseverance paid off in the Kansai tournament’s fifth-place playoff, where he secured a 2-1 decision victory to claim the final qualifying spot. Nakao recalled being overwhelmed with emotion afterward, noting that his father, who attended the match, was moved to tears.

The last time a Kyoto Prefectural Police officer competed in the All-Japan Championships was 10 years ago. Similarly, no athlete representing Kyoto Prefecture as a whole has participated in the men’s open-weight division since 2021.

Nakao will enter the tournament as an underdog, facing opponents who may outweigh him by 30 kilograms or more. His strategy will rely on speed, timing, and precision — using his unconventional grip to create openings before opponents can establish dominant positions.

Judo’s open-weight format tests not only technical skill but also mental resilience, as competitors must repeatedly adapt to vastly different body types and fighting styles throughout a single day of competition.

The All-Japan Judo Championships, one of the sport’s most prestigious domestic events, begins at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on April 26, 2026. The competition is co-sponsored by major media organizations including the Asahi Shimbun.

For Nakao, simply stepping onto the mat represents the culmination of years of sacrifice and belief in a system that allowed him to pursue both public service and athletic excellence.

Whether he advances past the opening round or not, his presence highlights a growing trend of law enforcement agencies supporting elite athlete-officers through specialized training programs — a model that enables individuals like Nakao to compete at the highest levels while serving their communities.

The Kyoto Prefectural Police have not commented officially on Nakao’s participation, but internal sources confirm his status as a special training recruit remains active.

As preparations continue, Nakao’s focus remains on executing his game plan: disrupting opponents’ rhythm, forcing them into uncomfortable positions, and proving that technique and heart can bridge even the most daunting physical gaps.

His performance at Budokan will be watched closely — not just for medal implications, but as a testament to what’s possible when opportunity meets persistence in the world of competitive judo.

The All-Japan Championships proceed through Saturday, with medal matches scheduled for the final day. Nakao’s opening bout time and opponent have not yet been released by tournament organizers.

For updates on the competition and Nakao’s progress, fans can follow official results posted by the All-Japan Judo Federation.

What are your thoughts on seeing police officers compete at elite levels in sports like judo? Share your perspective in the comments below.