Japan men's national field hockey team
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| Nickname(s) | Samurai Japan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Association | Japan Hockey Association | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Confederation | AHF (Asia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head Coach | Yoshihiro Anai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assistant coach(es) | Yosuke Matsumura | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | Raiki Fujishima | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FIH ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | 14  4 (9 March 2026)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1932) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result |  2nd (1932) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1971) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | 9th (1971, 2006) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 17 (first in 1958) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result |  1st (2018) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asia Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 11 (first in 1985) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | 4th (1985, 1989, 2003, 2007, 2022) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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The Japan men's national field hockey team represents Japan in men's international field hockey and is operated by the Japan Hockey Association. As of March 2026, they are ranked 14th in the world.[1]
The team participated in the first World Cup in 1971, where they finished 9th. The team then coached by Dutchman Siegfried Aikman,[2][3] won their first international tournament by claiming the gold medal in the final against Malaysia at the 2018 Asian Games.
Summer Olympics
- 1932 –
- 1936 – 7th place
- 1956 – Withdrew
- 1960 – 14th place
- 1964 – 7th place
- 1968 – 13th place
- 2020 – 11th place
World Cup
- 1971 – 9th place
- 1973 – 10th place
- 2002 – 12th place
- 2006 – 9th place
- 2023 – 15th place
- 2026 – Qualified
Asian Games
- 1958 – 5th place
- 1962 – 4th place
- 1966 –
- 1970 –
- 1974 – 4th place
- 1978 – 4th place
- 1982 – 4th place
- 1986 – 5th place
- 1990 – 6th place
- 1994 – 4th place
- 1998 – 4th place
- 2002 – 6th place
- 2006 – 4th place
- 2010 – 6th place
- 2014 – 6th place
- 2018 –
- 2022 –
Asia Cup
- 1985 – 4th place
- 1989 – 4th place
- 1994 – 9th place
- 1999 – 5th place
- 2003 – 4th place
- 2007 – 4th place
- 2009 – 6th place
- 2013 – 5th place
- 2017 – 5th place
- 2022 – 4th place
- 2025 – 5th place
Asian Champions Trophy
| Asian Champions Trophy record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Host | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 2011 |  Ordos, China |
4th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | |
| 2012 |  Doha, Qatar |
6th | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 14 | 19 | |
| 2013 |  Kakamigahara, Japan |
2nd | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 9 | |
| 2016 |  Kuantan, Malaysia |
6th | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 31 | |
| 2018 |  Muscat, Oman |
4th | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 18 | |
| 2021 |  Dhaka, Bangladesh |
2nd | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 15 | |
| 2023 |  Chennai, India |
3rd | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 18 | |
| 2024 | Hulunbuir, China |
5th | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 23 | |
| Total | 2nd place | 50 | 12 | 11 | 27 | 106 | 143 | ||
FIH Hockey Nations Cup
| FIH Hockey Nations Cup record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Host | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 2022 |  Potchefstroom, South Africa |
6th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | |
| 2023–24 |  Gniezno, Poland |
did not qualify | |||||||
| 2024–25 | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
7th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 14 | |
| Total | 6th place | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 20 | 25 | ||
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup
- 1987 – 6th place
- 2016 – 7th place
- 2017 – 6th place
- 2019 – 5th place
- 2020 – Cancelled
- 2022 – 4th place
- 2024 –
Hockey World League
Champions Challenge
Players
Current squad
On 12 February 2026, the following 20 players were called up for the 2026 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers in Ismailia, Egypt from 1 to 7 March 2026.[4]
Caps updated as of 4 February 2026, after the match against New Zealand.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | GK | Takumi Kitagawa | 7 October 1999 | 27 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 30 | GK | Takashi Yoshikawa | 29 November 1994 | 165 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 2 | DF | Shota Yamada | 21 December 1994 | 172 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 4 | DF | Yamato Kawahara | 21 January 2004 | 54 | Ritsumeikan University | |
| 7 | DF | Jun Watanabe | 17 May 2003 | 9 | Tenri University | |
| 13 | DF | Manabu Yamashita | 4 February 1989 | 244 | Freaks Tokyo | |
| 23 | DF | Yusuke Kawamura | 24 July 2001 | 48 | IEBE Tochigi | |
| 3 | MF | Yuto Higuchi | 30 September 2005 | 15 | Ritsumeikan University | |
| 5 | MF | Seren Tanaka | 9 November 1992 | 185 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 8 | MF | Taiki Takade | 18 November 2001 | 43 |  Lille | |
| 14 | MF | Raiki Fujishima (Captain) | 29 December 1999 | 80 | ALDER Hanno | |
| 22 | MF | Kaito Tanaka | 1 November 1995 | 105 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 1 | FW | Koji Yamasaki | 27 February 1996 | 146 | | |
| 6 | FW | Naru Kimura | 27 December 2005 | 21 | Ritsumeikan University | |
| 9 | FW | Kosei Kawabe | 20 June 1999 | 60 | Gifu Asahi Blue Devils | |
| 11 | FW | Kazumasa Matsumoto | 21 June 2000 | 36 | Miyazaki Perfecture | |
| 16 | FW | Hiro Saito | 5 April 2002 | 28 | Fukui University of Technology | |
| 18 | FW | Tsubasa Tanaka | 10 October 2003 | 13 | Tenri University | |
| 19 | FW | Ryoma Ooka | 2 October 2001 | 50 | LIEBE Tochigi | |
| 35 | FW | Ryosuke Shinohara | 18 October 2005 | 14 | Yamanashi Gakuin University | |
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up for the national team in the last 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club | Latest call-up | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Kisho Kuroda | 20 November 2003 | 16 | Tenri University |
v.  New Zealand, 4 February 2026 | |
| GK | Yosei Oba | 15 September 2001 | 7 | Freaks Tokyo |
2024 Asian Champions Trophy | |
| DF | Hyota Yamada | 30 January 2003 | 14 | Asahi University |
v. New Zealand, 4 February 2026 | |
| DF | Ken Nagayoshi | 26 October 1999 | 75 | LIEBE Tochigi |
2025 Asia Cup | |
| MF | Keita Watanabe | 20 November 2002 | 17 | BlueSticks SHIGA |
2025 Asia Cup | |
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2026
Summer Series
| 30 January 2026 Test 1 | New Zealand | 2–5 | Japan | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| 18:30 | Woods  45'Hiha 56' |
Report | H. Yamada 18', 48', 57' Yamasaki 35'Kawabe 54' |
Stadium: Gallagher Hockey Centre |
| 1 February 2026 Test 2 | New Zealand | 5–1 | Japan | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| 16:30 | Russell 8', 37' Thomas 23', 35'Lane 27' |
Report | Shinohara 30' |
Stadium: Gallagher Hockey Centre |
| 2 February 2026 Test 3 | New Zealand | 4–3 | Japan | Hamilton, New Zealand |
| 18:30 | Lane 19', 42' Woods 29'Russell 50' |
Report | Matsumoto 14', 45' Yamasaki 33' |
Stadium: Gallagher Hockey Centre |
| 4 January 2026 Test 4 | New Zealand | 3–3 | Japan | Hamilton), New Zealand |
| 10:00 | Russell 12', 29' Thomas 48' |
Report | H. Yamada 21' Yamasaki 25', 60' |
Stadium: Gallagher Hockey Centre |
2026 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers
| 1 March 2026 Pool A | England  | 5–0 | Japan | Ismailia, Egypt |
| 18:45 | Sorsby 11', 36' Ward 13'Croft 17', 44' |
Report | Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium |
| 2 March 2026 Pool A | Japan | 4–0 |  United States | Ismailia, Egypt |
| 18:45 | Matsumoto 3' Yamasaki 23'Ooka 28'Kimura 56' |
Report | Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium |
| 4 March 2026 Pool A | Japan | 6–3 |  Egypt | Ismailia, Egypt |
| 20:45 | Fujishima 7', 52', 59' Shinohara 9'Matsumoto 11', 40' |
Report | El-Ganaini 22', 33', 34' |
Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium |
| 6 March 2026 Semi-final | Pakistan  | 4–3 | Japan | Ismailia, Egypt |
| 15:30 | Ammad 9' Mahmood 52'Khan 55'Afraz 57' |
Report | Ooka 21' Yamada 35'Yamasaki 41' |
Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium |
| 7 March 2026 3/4 Classification | Malaysia | 4–5 | Japan | Ismailia, Egypt |
| 15:00 | Saari 30' Jalil 32'Cholan 36'F.Saari 59' |
Report | Ooka 15' Matsumoto 38'Fujishima 52'Yamasaki 55', 57' |
Stadium: Suez Canal Stadium |
Test matches
| 11 April 2026 Test 1 | Japan | 1–2 |  South Korea | Tokyo, Japan |
| 13:00 | Kawabe 3' |
Report | Yang 57' Son 58' |
Stadium: Oi Hockey Stadium |
| 12 April 2026 Test 2 | Japan | 2–3 | South Korea | Tokyo, Japan |
| 15:30 | Kimura 5' Matsumoto 32' |
Report | Son 11' Bae 48'Kim 57' |
Stadium: Oi Hockey Stadium |
2026 FIH Nations Cup
| 11 June 2026 Pool A | South Korea | v | Japan | Cape Town, South Africa |
| 14:30 | Report | Stadium: Hartleyvale Stadium |
| 12 June 2026 Pool A | Malaysia | v | Japan | Cape Town, South Africa |
| 16:45 | Report | Stadium: Hartleyvale Stadium |
| 14 June 2026 Pool A | Japan | v |  Scotland | Cape Town, South Africa |
| 14:45 | Report | Stadium: Hartleyvale Stadium |
| 17 June 2026 Pool A | New Zealand | v | Japan | Cape Town, South Africa |
| 19:00 | Report | Stadium: Hartleyvale Stadium |
2026 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup
| 16 August 2026 Pool A | Argentina  | v | Japan | Amstelveen, Netherlands |
| 19:00 | Stadium: Wagener Stadium |
| 18 August 2026 Pool A | New Zealand | v | Japan | Amstelveen, Netherlands |
| 09:30 | Stadium: Wagener Stadium |
| 20 August 2026 Pool A | Netherlands  | v | Japan | Amstelveen, Netherlands |
| 18:00 | Stadium: Wagener Stadium |
