Japan U20 Squad Named for New Zealand Tour
Fresh off their three-match, clean sweep victory in this year’s Pacific Challenge, competing as the Japan XV, the 28-member Japan U20 National Team Squad has been announced for their upcoming tour of New Zealand. Taking place from 19 May to 1 June, the two-match tour against New Zealand Universities U20 will serve as an important warmup as the team prepares for the upcoming World Rugby U20 Trophy 2024 in Edinburgh, between 2-17 July.
This year’s tour follows NZU’s 2023 visit to Japan where the two sides faced each other at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo on May 27. In what was a tightly contested match, Japan U20 ran out eventual winners for a final score of 52-46. NZU will no doubt be looking to balance the ledger when they play host to Japan this year in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island.
The first tour match will take place as a curtain raiser ahead of the Crusaders vs Blues Super Rugby Pacific match at Apollo Projects Stadium on Saturday, 25 May. Kick off will be at 16:35 local time ahead of the 19:05 start for the main match. Five days later, the two teams line up once again for the return match at the University of Canterbury on Thursday, 30 May for a 14:00 kick off.
Ahead of their departure, the squad will assemble for a pre-tour training camp in Chiba Prefecture from May 14 -18. An additional five players will join the squad in camp; however, they will not tour to New Zealand unless called upon as injury replacements.
Having gone undefeated in the Pacific Challenge, expectations will be high for the Japan U20 to put in two solid performances against NZU. With both fixtures officially practice matches, it will give the Japanese coaching team a chance to try different combinations and game plans without the pressure of being in a tournament situation.
The team will be looking to get the best preparation possible ahead of the World Rugby U20 Trophy in July. Having been relegated from the U20 Championship following last year’s tournament in South Africa, Japan will be hoping to put in a dominant performance as they seek promotion back to the top-level U20 competition in 2025.
Japan U20 2024 New Zealand Tour 28-Member Squad
| Position | Name | University | Height | Weight | DOB |
| PR | Jinnosuke MORI | Tenri Univ. | 177 | 105 | 2004/1/14 |
| PR | Sojiro Otsuka | Kansei Gakuin Univ. | 178 | 104 | 2004/7/5 |
| HO | Kenshin SHIMIZU | Waseda Univ. | 178 | 104 | 2004/12/27 |
| HO | Haruya KERAKAWAUCHI | Teikyo Univ. | 174 | 100 | 2004/9/15 |
| PR | Towa NUNOBIKI | Teikyo Univ. | 180 | 110 | 2004/11/17 |
| PR | Yuta HATTA | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 185 | 112 | 2004/4/5 |
| LO | Shuntaro ISOBE | Tsukuba Univ. | 190 | 110 | 2004/7/14 |
| LO | Chuka ISHIBASHI | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 190 | 95 | 2004/4/10 |
| LO | Yotaro MONOBE | Meiji Univ. | 191 | 116 | 2004/9/28 |
| LO | Aoi OMIYA | Nihon Univ. | 188 | 100 | 2004/9/14 |
| FL | Aoi OMIYA | Nihon Univ. | 191 | 84 | 2004/10/27 |
| LO | Tomonosuke SHIROMARU | Tsukuba Univ. | 185 | 106 | 2004/12/14 |
| FL | Koki KAWAGOE | Tenri Univ. | 180 | 88 | 2004/5/23 |
| FL | Kotaro OKAWA | Meiji Univ. | 187 | 102 | 2004/4/24 |
| NO8 | Daichi YOSHIKAWA | Ritsumeikan Univ. | 181 | 98 | 2004/4/13 |
| NO8 | Ryoku MASUO | Rissho Univ. | 186 | 117 | 2004/10/19 |
| SH | Yamato MURATA | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 168 | 69 | 2004/10/15 |
| SH | Joji TAKAKI | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 164 | 70 | 2004/9/11 |
| SH/SO | Rieto ITO | Meiji Univ. | 173 | 74 | 2004/7/30 |
| SO | Ryunosuke ITO | Meiji Univ. | 170 | 76 | 2004/7/30 |
| WTB | Kento IIOKA | Tsukuba Univ. | 183 | 83 | 2004/8/12 |
| SO | Takaya MOTOHASHI | Teikyo Univ. | 182 | 86 | 2004/5/19 |
| CTB | Taisei NAGAI | Senshu Univ. | 179 | 87 | 2004/11/13 |
| CTB | Yamato UEDA | Teikyo Univ. | 180 | 84 | 2005/3/8 |
| WTB | Mirai KISHI | Kindai Univ. | 180 | 85 | 2004/12/8 |
| Utility | Jingo TAKENOSHITA | Meiji Univ. | 180 | 83 | 2004/6/11 |
| Utility | Tasuku MASUYAMA | Tsukuba Univ. | 177 | 83 | 2004/4/14 |
| FB | Yoshitaka YAZAKI | Waseda Univ. | 180 | 85 | 2004/5/12 |
Participants of pre-departure training camp (not scheduled to travel unless called up)
| Position | Name | University | Height | Weight | DOB |
| PR | Yugo IBUKI | Keio Univ. | 175 | 98 | 2005/7/31 |
| HO | Yugo IBUKI | Keio Univ. | 175 | 95 | 2005/9/14 |
| FL | Yoshiaki TAIAN | Tenri Univ. | 176 | 92 | 2004/4/2 |
| SH | Tatsuki INOUE | Tsukuba Univ. | 173 | 75 | 2005/8/16 |
| CTB | Daigo MORIO | Tsukuba Univ. | 175 | 81 | 2005/6/9 |