JAPAN XV Squad Announced for Oita Training Camp
The JRFU have announced the JAPAN XV Squad for their training camp in Oita ahead of this month’s two-match series against Hong Kong China and their non-capped match against the Māori All Blacks in late June. Comprising 18 forwards and 15 backs, the 33-player squad includes 10 university players, with the remainder being drawn from across Japan Rugby League One.
First up, the Japan Select will take on Hong Kong China Select in Oita City on Friday, May 22, with a follow-up match on Friday, May 29 at JAPAN BASE in Fukuoka. While the Japan Select platform allows for players to be drawn from outside of the Japan XV structure, this year the team will be picked exclusively from within the Japan XV squad.
It will be the second year in a row in which Hong Kong China have toured Japan and follows the signing of a 2025 MOU between the JRFU and Hong Kong China Rugby. As two of the leading unions in Asian rugby, the close cooperation and connection between the two bodies forms a valuable foundation to help grow rugby across the region.
Following the matches in Kyushu, the action then moves to Nagoya on Saturday, June 27 when the Japan XV host the Māori All Blacks in the Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2026. With the Māori All Blacks being now regular visitors to Japan, this non-capped fixture will be the fourth meeting between the two sides in the last three years and their seventh overall. While the Māori All Blacks have tasted victory across six of these fixtures, the Japan XV enjoyed a memorable 26-14 victory in Toyota City back in 2024.
Japan will be looking forward to another opportunity to challenge the mighty Māori, with the Japan XV players keen to put their hands up for selection to the Brave Blossoms squad ahead of the inaugural Nations Championship which kicks off on July 4 when Japan take on Italy at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo.
Commenting on the squad selection, Japan National Team Deputy Head Coach, Neal Hatley said:
“The goal of the Japan XV program is to win our games while also developing players who can go on to represent Japan. Last year we had five players who went on to earn full test caps, so we want to see that again. This year we’ve had several university players who’ve come through the Japan Talent Squad stepping up in camp and putting their hands up for selection.
“We’re looking at how we can improve our training, how we can keep improving the squad by giving opportunity to young players and of course we want to win our games. Hong Kong China will be going to the next World Cup which is a big motivation for our guys. They will be playing against a team that will face the All Blacks and Wallabies next year. It’s a great opportunity for us and it’s really important for strengthening rugby in Asia”.
Forwards (18)
| Pos | Name | Club Team | Graduate | Height cm | Weight kg | DOB |
| LHP | Sojiro OTSUKA | Kwansei Gakuin Univ. | Kwansei Gakuin Senior HS. | 178 | 110 | 2004/7/5 |
| LHP | Kanato HIRANO | MIE Honda HEAT | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 180 | 109 | 2000/2/8 |
| LHP | Kenta YAMASHITA | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Hosei Univ. | 171 | 111 | 1999/2/4 |
| HO | Shun ARAKAWA | Doshisha Univ. | Tokai Univ. Osaka Gyosei HS. | 176 | 102 | 2004/10/1 |
| HO | Shunsuke SAKUTA | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Ryutsu Keizai Univ. | 175 | 108 | 2002/1/16 |
| HO | Koki HIDA | MIE Honda HEAT | Tsukuba Univ. | 177 | 100 | 2000/9/17 |
| THP | Takumi INABA | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Kindai Univ. | 175 | 110 | 2002/7/24 |
| THP | Katsuyuki HOSHINO | MIE Honda HEAT | Tokai Univ. | 186 | 120 | 1999/8/24 |
| THP | Taufa LATU | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | Hakuoh Univ. | 183 | 120 | 1998/4/5 |
| LO | Ryusei KOIKE | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | Tokai Univ. | 188 | 106 | 1999/11/18 |
| LO | Katsuto KUBO | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES | Teikyo Univ. | 192 | 108 | 1998/11/7 |
| LO | Isaiah MAPUSUA |
TOYOTA VERBLITZ | Keio Univ. | 191 | 112 | 2000/12/21 |
| LO/FL | Jingo MURATA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | Waseda Univ. | 185 | 102 | 2002/2/22 |
| FL | Malgene ILAUA | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Teikyo Univ. | 187 | 109 | 1993/6/5 |
| FL | Masato FURUKAWA | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES | Ritsumeikan Univ. | 179 | 94 | 1996/12/6 |
| FL | Kota YAMAUCHI | Hosei Univ. | Shohei HS. | 191 | 108 | 2004/11/2 |
| FL | Aseri MASIVOU | MIE Honda HEAT | Takushoku Univ. | 189 | 113 | 1997/3/9 |
| NO.8 | Rikuto NAKAYA | Doshisha Univ. | Osaka Toin HS. | 182 | 105 | 2005/4/15 |
Backs (15)
| Pos | Name | Club Team | Graduate | Height cm | Weight kg | DOB |
| SH | Shuntaro KITAMURA | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Ritsumeikan Univ. | 168 | 77 | 2002/3/28 |
| SH | TAKURO HOJO |
MIE Honda HEAT | Tenri Univ. | 174 | 80 | 2001/9/18 |
| SH | Haruto WATANABE | Kindai Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 171 | 76 | 2004/12/10 |
| SO | Ryunosuke ITO | Meiji Univ. | Kokugakuin Univ. Tochigi HS. | 172 | 77 | 2004/11/20 |
| SO | Riku KITAHARA | MIE Honda HEAT | Univ. of Otago | 170 | 78 | 1999/3/30 |
| SO | Shinya KOMURA | TOYOTA VERBLITZ | Teikyo Univ. | 180 | 92 | 2002/5/28 |
| CTB | Soma OKAZAKI | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Waseda Univ. | 177 | 89 | 2001/11/20 |
| CTB | Futo SATO | Teikyo Univ. | Onomichi HS. | 178 | 88 | 2005/11/8 |
| CTB | Chisu LEE | Korea Univ. | Osaka Chosen HS. | 180 | 82 | 2004/11/6 |
| WTB | Kohaku EBISAWA | Meiji Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 173 | 82 | 2004/10/27 |
| WTB | Kosho MUTO | YOKOHAMA CANON EAGLES | Kwansei Gakuin Univ. | 174 | 83 | 2004/3/23 |
| WTB | Futo YAMAGUCHI | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Doshisha Univ. | 167 | 73 | 2000/1/14 |
| WTB | Rakuhei YAMASHITA | MIE Honda HEAT | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | 175 | 85 | 1992/1/30 |
| FB | Sam GREENE | SHIZUOKA BlueRevs | Brisbane Grammar HS. | 178 | 85 | 1994/8/16 |
| FB | Jingo TAKENOSHITA | Meiji Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 180 | 86 | 2004/6/11 |
Friday 22 May
Japan Select vs Hong Kong China Select
Oita Sports Park, Crasus Soccer & Rugby Ground, Oita City
Friday 29 May
Japan Select vs Hong Kong China Select
JAPAN BASE, Fukuoka
Saturday 27 June
Japan XV vs Māori All Blacks
Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2026
Paloma Mizuho Stadium, Nagoya