Japan’s J.League returns for its 2025 season on Friday with a mouthwatering Osaka derby between Gamba and Cerezo. It kicks off at 10am UK time and raises the curtain on one of the most competitive football leagues in the world.
J1, the top division, has emerged as a rich seam of playing talent. Japan is exporting players to Europe at a prolific rate and they’re becoming ever more influential in the fortunes of their teams.
Vissel Kobe held off the attentions of Sanfrecce Hiroshima and surprise upstarts Machida Zelvia last season to retain the J1 title. As they prepare to start another championship defence back at home, FourFourTwo ranks the five best Japanese players currently playing in England.
Who are the best Japanese players playing in England?
There are five Japanese players currently registered with Premier League clubs but four have had limited playing time this season. Liverpool’s Wataru Endo is 32 years old and has played 86 league minutes in 2024/25, while Takehiro Tomiyasu of Arsenal is a long-term injury absentee.
Further down the table, Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada has started ten times in the Premier League this season and Southampton’s Yukinari Sugawara has 13 starts. So, with the bigger names of the Premier League leaving the door open for the players coming up behind them, who are the ones to watch?
1. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton)
Brighton’s Japanese wing wizard Kaoru Mitoma arrived on the south coast from Kawasaki Frontale, where he was a key player in one of the club’s historic league titles under Toru Oniki. He’s become a global star at Brighton and has racked up 27 goal involvements in 76 Premier League matches.
Mitoma rejected the chance to join Cristiano Ronaldo and Jhon Duran at Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League in January. If he does leave Brighton in the future, it should yield a large profit for the Seagulls.
2. Ao Tanaka (Leeds)
Mitoma’s former team-mate Ao Tanaka initially moved to Europe on loan with Fortuna Dusseldorf, where he made the deal permanent in 2022. He signed for Daniel Farke’s Leeds United last summer and has been instrumental in their season.
Leeds have headline-grabbing players ahead of him but Tanaka’s immaculate possession play and positioning without the ball have made him a real favourite with supporters at Elland Road.
3. Yuki Ohashi (Blackburn)
Former Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Yuki Ohashi was snapped up by Blackburn Rovers as J1’s leading scorer last summer. He quickly made his mark in England, scoring four of his five Championship goals in his first five appearances.
Ohashi’s scoring slowed in the last quarter of the year as his lack of a break and a pre-season took its toll, and he is currently on the sidelines because of an ankle injury. Blackburn’s new manager will be desperate to get the 28-year-old marksman firing again.
4. Tatsuhiro Sakamoto (Coventry)
Winger Tatsuhiro Sakamoto joined Coventry City from Belgian side KV Oostende in 2023 after bursting onto the scene in Japan with J2 outfit Montedio Yamagata and impressing with Cerezo Osaka in J1.
Sakamoto is thriving under Frank Lampard and has helped the Sky Blues climb the Championship table with his fluidity in possession and his creative eye for a pass. He has three goals and three assists in the second tier this season and has featured in all but one of Coventry’s league wins since Lampard took over.
5. Koki Saito (QPR)
23-year-old Koki Saito is on loan from Belgian club Lommel for the 2024/25 season and Queens Park Rangers supporters are enjoying the pace, trickery and directness that makes him a constant threat around the opposition penalty area.
Saito would undoubtedly love to recapture the productivity that caught the eye during his previous loan at Sparta Rotterdam but, as far as getting fans on the edge of their seats, he’s already winning plaudits.
Other Japanese stars in English football
Elsewhere, one of this season’s top Japanese performers in the EFL is anchoring Birmingham City’s promotion charge in League One. Tomoki Iwata, a former Yokohama F. Marinos midfielder who moved to England from Celtic, is in excellent form for the Blues.
There are other Japanese players already in the Championship. Tatsuki Seko and Daika Hashioka are involved in the relegation battle at Stoke City and Luton Town respectively, while Bristol City have Zelvia’s Yu Hirakawa on loan until the end of the season.
Sheffield Wednesday added full-back Ryo Hatsuse to their ranks in January. The 27-year-old signed from Vissel Kobe and awaits his debut for the Owls.
The new J1 season will undoubtedly unearth more players with the Premier League and EFL in their futures.
Some will arrive via Scotland or mainland Europe, others by the more direct route. By the time Europe’s summer transfer window opens, Japan’s next big prospect could well be on the radar.
