Japan Talent Squad Programme Returns for Third Year
The Japan Rugby Football Union is pleased to announce that the Japan Talent Squad, a programme that identifies and nurtures potential future national team players, will return for its third year. This follows the success of the programme over its first two years which has seen participants graduate to higher honours both at League One level and within Japanese national teams.
Following the format of previous years, the JTS will assemble for multiple training camps and practice matches with League One teams across February and March. These will be held under the close supervision and guidance of Japan Head Coach Eddie Jones and his Brave Blossoms coaching team. Strength and conditioning will also play a key role in the programme, along with nutritional guidance and advice from specialist coaches within the Japan national team setup.
The 2026 JTS consists of 35 players, comprising 20 forwards and 15 backs. An additional seven players have also been named as a supplementary training squad who will come into the JTS when required, as injury cover or when members are unavailable due to university or other commitments.
Following the conclusion of three JTS training camps, the U23 Japan National Team Squad will be announced at the end of March. The squad will depart for a four-match tour of Australia in April where they will face a variety of high-level opponents, including a match against famous Sydney club, Randwick. Known affectionately as the Galloping Greens, Randwick was the club where Eddie Jones played and where he first started his coaching career.
Commenting on the Japan Talent Squad 2026 intake, Brave Blossoms Head Coach, Eddie Jones said: “Now in its third year, the Japan Talent Squad, our elite development programme for 19 to 21 year olds, remains integral to the ongoing growth of our national team. It gives us a platform to identify and grow a core group of future Japan test match players. While physical attributes and core skillsets are fundamental, we’re also looking to identify those individuals that have the mindset and relentless drive to become test match winning players.”
The programme’s most recognisable face to date is Waseda University speedster, Yoshitaka Yazaki who was part of the JTS in 2024 and 2025. While still playing for his university team, the young fullback has quickly become a mainstay of the Japan National Team. He earned his ninth test cap on last year’s Autumn tour of Europe and has also been named in Eddie Jones’ 2026 Provisional Squad.
Another notable member who returns to the programme in 2026 for his third year is Meiji University’s star flyhalf, Ryunosuke Ito. At just 21 years of age, Ito was instrumental in Meiji winning the recent All-Japan University Championship. Alongside his call-up to the JTS, he joins Yazaki as one of five university players named in the Brave Blossoms’ 2026 Provisional Squad.
Japan Talent Squad 2026
Forwards (20)
| Pos | Name | University | High School | Height (cm) | Weight (Kg) | DOB |
| PR1 | Sojiro OTSUKA | Kwansei Gakuin Univ. | Kwansei Gakuin Senior HS. | 178 | 110 | 2004/7/5 |
| PR1 | Daisuke TASHIRO | Meiji Univ. | Oita Maizuru HS. | 180 | 109 | 2004/11/27 |
| PR1 | Masato NAKAO | Tokai Univ. | Eitoku HS. | 183 | 112 | 2005/6/21 |
| HO | Shun ARAKAWA | Doshisha Univ. | Tokai Univ. Osaka Gyosei HS. | 176 | 102 | 2004/10/1 |
| HO | Kyoya TANAKA | Ritsumeikan Univ. | Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 175 | 100 | 2005/9/14 |
| HO | Shun MARUO | Kanto Gakuin Univ. | Kurashiki HS. | 173 | 96 | 2004/4/13 |
| PR3 | Kai INOUE | Tenri Univ. | Matsuyama Seiryo HS. | 175 | 113 | 2004/10/27 |
| PR3 | Yoshikazu OKADA | Toyo Univ. | Wakimachi HS. | 182 | 110 | 2005/10/18 |
| PR3 | Yuta HATTA | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | Joto HS. | 185 | 115 | 2004/4/5 |
| LO | Chuka ISHIBASHI | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 190 | 105 | 2004/4/10 |
| LO | Shuntaro ISOBE | Tsukuba Univ. | Kokugakuin Kugayama HS. | 190 | 108 | 2004/7/14 |
| LO | Taiga KURAKAKE | Meiji Univ. | Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 190 | 100 | 2005/9/29 |
| LO | Kota YAMAUCHI | Hosei Univ. | Shohei HS. | 191 | 108 | 2004/11/2 |
| FL | Kaoru OKADA | Kansai Univ. | Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 185 | 100 | 2004/7/26 |
| FL | Toranosuke SONODA | Ryutsu Keizai Univ. | Kumamoto Technical HS. | 186 | 103 | 2005/3/6 |
| FL | Rikuto NAKAYA |
Doshisha Univ. | Osaka Toin HS. | 182 | 105 | 2005/4/15 |
| FL | Manato NAKAMORI | Tsukuba Univ. | Toin Gakuen HS. | 190 | 93 | 2005/12/24 |
| FL | Sei HOSOKAWA | Tokai Univ. | Kurosawajiri Kita HS. | 182 | 100 | 2005/2/18 |
| NO8 | Ryoku MASUO | Rissho Univ. | Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 186 | 109 | 2004/10/19 |
| NO8 | Kanta MIURA | Hosei Univ. | Akita Chuo HS. | 184 | 91 | 2004/7/17 |
Backs (15)
| Pos | Name | University | High School | Height (cm) | Weight (Kg) | DOB |
| SH | Akira IKUTA | Toyo Univ. | Kokugakuin Univ. Tochigi HS. | 164 | 72 | 2006/1/21 |
| SH | Kanta HIROSE | Fukuoka Institute of Technology | Higashi Fukuoka HS. | 182 | 77 | 2004/5/7 |
| 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 | Joe OHTSURU | Kyoto Univ. | Nada HS. | 176 | 90 | 2004/6/5 |
| CTB/WTB | Mirai KISHI | Kindai Univ. | Kindai University Wakayama HS. | 180 | 88 | 2004/12/8 |
| CTB | Futo SATO | Teikyo Univ. | Onomichi HS. | 178 | 88 | 2005/11/8 |
| CTB | Sakuya NAKAO | Fukuoka Institute of Technology | Omura Technical HS. | 182 | 90 | 2004/9/16 |
| 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 | Keishu OTA | Kindai Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 182 | 80 | 2005/5/14 |
| WTB | Eito SHIRAI | Meiji Univ. | Toin Gakuen HS. | 178 | 83 | 2005/10/22 |
| WTB | Kenzo TANAKA | Waseda Univ. | Toin Gakuen HS. | 172 | 75 | 2005/8/7 |
| FB | Jingo TAKENOSHITA | Meiji Univ. | Hotoku Gakuen HS. | 180 | 86 | 2004/6/11 |
| FB/WTB | Tasuku MASUYAMA | Tsukuba Univ. | Tokai Univ. Osaka Gyosei HS. | 177 | 82 | 2004/4/14 |
Supplementary Training Squad (7)
| Pos | Name | University | High School | Height (cm) | Weight (Kg) | DOB |
| PR1 | Motonari YAMASHITA | Toyo Univ. | Kumamoto Kogyo HS. | 175 | 105 | 2006/3/18 |
| FL | Fuuga YAMANE | Kyushu Kyoritsu Univ. | Iwami Chisuikan HS. | 182 | 98 | 2006/7/21 |
| SO | Daiki WATANABE | Rissho Univ. | Kiryu Daiichi HS. | 182 | 87 | 2005/9/11 |
| CTB | Rio IWAKURA | Yamanashi Gakuin Univ. | Hyuga HS. | 177 | 90 | 2006/8/5 |
| FB | Shota Ohata | Rikkyo Univ. | Tokai Univ. Osaka Gyosei HS. | 178 | 83 | 2005/3/30 |
| FB/SO | Rikuto Ota | Kyoto Sangyo Univ. | Kyoto Seisho HS. | 173 | 79 | 2005/9/20 |
| FB | Ryuto KOGA | Meiji Univ. | Toin Gakuen HS. | 184 | 86 | 2006/7/17 |