Last weekend, Japan set its world team after the completion of the 2025 Meiji Cup. Check out the below article for a full breakdown of Japan's men's freestyle team this year along with predictions for how they'll perform at the 2025 World Championships. 

Japan’s 2025 Men’s Freestyle World Team

57 - Rin Sakamoto 

61 - #5 Takara Suda

65 - #1 Kotaro Kiyooka 

70 - #5 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi 

74 - #7 Kota Takahashi

79 - Ryunosuke Kamiya

86 - #5 Hayato Ishiguro

92 - Takashi Ishiguro

97 - #4 Arash Yoshida

125 - Taiki Yamamoto

57 - Rin Sakamoto

If American fans don’t know Rin Sakamoto, they will quickly become familiar with him. Sakamoto is currently a freshman at Oklahoma State and wrestled only one match last year - an 11-1 loss to Drake Ayala. On the international scene, Sakamoto made Japan’s world team by winning both the Emperor’s Cup and Meiji Cup. On top of being the senior rep, Sakamoto will represent Japan at the U20 World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, this August. 

Sakamoto will be an underdog to reach the medal stand at senior worlds based on his performance at the Asian Championships earlier this year. At that tournament, Sakamoto placed 5th after going 2-2 with wins over Aiaal Belolyubskii (11-1) and Abidin Zainal (10-0) but losing to Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag (by pin) and Chongsong Han (12-6). Even with that performance, Sakamoto still showed he can wrestle competitively against some of the best in the world and with the right draw, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him reach the bronze medal match at worlds. 

Sakamoto World's Prediction: Does Not Place

61 - #5 Takara Suda

With defending world champion Masanosuke Ono taking the year off to train at Penn State, Takara Suda is the next man up and looks like a gold medal threat for Japan. Suda defeated 2021 world bronze medalist Toshihiro Hasegawa (4-3) to make the world team at 61 kg. Alongside that win, Suda has put together impressive performances this freestyle season winning golds at the Asian Championships in March and at the Albanian Ranking Series tournament in February. In those events, Suda recorded notable wins over #6 (at 57) Nachyn Mongush (8-8), Artem Gobaev (9-2), #19 Udit (6-4), and #17 Ahmad Javan (2-2).

Suda World's Prediction: Silver

Suda's win in the finals of the 2025 Asian Championships:

65 - #1 Kotaro Kiyooka 

2024 Olympic champ Kotaro Kiyooka will look to defend his title in Croatia this year at the world championships. Kiyooka recorded two wins over #4 Kaisei Tanabe to make the world team and should be considered the gold medal favorite. Even still, 65 kg is always incredibly deep at worlds, and a wrestler hasn’t won back-to-back golds at this weight since Sahin Ramazan won in 2007 and 2008. 

Kiyooka World's Prediction: Silver

70 - #5 Yoshinosuke Aoyagi 

Aoyagi won a silver medal at the 2024 Senior World Championships, but has had up-and-down results since then. Aoyagi won the Albanian Ranking Series tournament in February but took bronze at the Asian Championships in March and bronze again at the Meiji Cup last weekend. Despite not winning the Meiji Cup, Aoyagi earned a playoff match against the Meiji Cup winner, Shuya Miura, and defeated him 11-0 to make the team. Aoyagi will be in the mix to win a medal at worlds, but with the depth of the weight, and Aoyagi’s inconsistencies, he’s not a lock to reach the podium. 

Aoyagi World's Prediction: Bronze

74 - #7 Kota Takahashi

American fans might remember Takahashi from the U23 World Championships last year when he defeated Mitchell Mesenbrink in the quarter finals, 11-8. Takahashi then went on to win gold at U23 worlds and then placed 5th at senior worlds at 79 kg. Because Olympic silver medalist Daichi Takatani chose to sit out this year, Takahashi made the senior world team with relative ease. Takahashi will be a medal threat at worlds, but I'm not picking him to reach the podium because of the depth of the field at 74 kg.

Takahashi World's Prediction: Does Not Place

Takahashi's win over Mesenbrink at U23 Worlds:

79 - Ryunosuke Kamiya

Kamiya was a U20 World silver medalist in 2022 but has yet to have any notable results or wins on the senior level. He’s still relatively young and was Japan’s rep at U20 worlds last year, but failed to place at 79 kg. Most recently, Kamiya didn’t place at the Asian Championships or at the Albanian ranking series tournament, where he lost to the USA’s Evan Wick. Because of those results, it’s unlikely Kamiya will have success at Worlds. 

Kamiya World's Prediction: Does Not Place

86 - #5 Hayato Ishiguro

Hayato Ishiguro is currently ranked #5 in the world at 86 kg and was a 2024 Olympian. In Paris, Ishiguro failed to place after going 1-1 with an 11-1 loss to Aaron Brooks. Aside from that performance, Ishiguro won gold at the 2018 U20 World Championships and bronze at the 2019 U23 World Championships. Ishiguro also notably holds an 11-0 tech fall win over Zahid Valencia from the 2023 Zagreb Open. Ishiguro will be a medal threat at Worlds and a big test for Zalencia if they wrestle in Croatia. 

Ishiguro Worlds Prediction: Does Not Place

Ishiguro's win over Zahid Valencia at the 2023 Zagreb Open:

92 - Takashi Ishiguro

Takashi Ishiguro, the older brother of Hayato, made his 5th senior world team last week after winning the Meiji Cup. Despite the experience, Ishiguro has never medaled at worlds and isn’t currently ranked in the top 20. Because of those past results, I don’t expect him to wrestle for a medal this year.

Ishiguro World's Prediction: Does Not Place

97 - #4 Arash Yoshida

Arash Yoshida is currently ranked #4 in the world and is putting together an incredible year. Yoshida won the Albanian Ranking Series Tournament, where he defeated Kyle Snyder in the semifinals, 5-5. After that, Yoshida went on to win gold at the Asian Championship,s where he defeated world champion Rizabek Aitmukhan. Yoshida is looking more and more like a medal threat at worlds this year and has the potential to make the finals with the right draw. 

Yoshida World's Prediction: Bronze

Yoshida's win over Kyle Snyder:

125 - Taiki Yamamoto

Yamomoto made his 6th senior-level world team this year, showing he has locked down the 125 kg spot in Japan. Despite that success domestically, Yamamoto hasn’t been close to a top 20 wrestler internationally. Yamamoto is not a medal threat, and success for him at worlds will be winning more than one match. 

Yamamoto World's Prediction: Does Not Place