Ayumu Kokaji
Japan international rugby union player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ayumu Kokaji (born 24 November 2000) is a Japanese rugby union player. She competed for Japan at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.
| Born | 24 November 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 160 cm (5 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb; 12 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Background
Kokaji started playing rugby at the age of four and graduated from Sakai Rugby School.[1][2] After graduating from Annan Gakuen High School in 2019, she enrolled at Morinomiya Medical College.[1] Her older brother Yuta, plays Prop for the Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo in the Japan Rugby League One competition.[2]
Rugby career
On 19 July 2019, she earned her first Test cap for Japan against Australia during their Australian tour.[2] She originally played in the backs but switched to the forwards at the recommendation of Head coach, Lesley McKenzie.[1][2]
Kokaji joined Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix in 2021. She missed selection for the delayed Rugby World Cup that was held in New Zealand in 2022 due to injury.[2] She was part of the Tokyo Sankyu Phoenix side that won the 10th National Women's Rugby Football Championship in 2024.[3]
On 28 July 2025, she was named in the Japanese side to the Women's Rugby World Cup in England.[4][5]