# Japanese athlete expansion in MLB and Bundesliga > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-athlete-expansion-in-mlb-and-bundesliga > Updated: 2026-08-11T03:15:41.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. Japanese athletes are expanding their presence in major international sports leagues, particularly in Major League Baseball (MLB) and the German Bundesliga. In baseball, the traditional pathway involves players excelling in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) before moving to MLB. While established stars like Shohei Ohtani and Yu Darvish have followed this route, new prospects such as Rintaro Sasaki and Kenny Ishikawa may bypass the NPB to sign directly with MLB clubs. In German football, the influence of Japanese talent is growing. Borussia Mönchengladbach has increased its Japanese roster to three players, supported by an established network within the club. Other Japanese players are actively navigating the Bundesliga, including Kaishu Sano, who is a transfer target for RB Leipzig, and Sota Kawasaki of Mainz 05. Additionally, young players like Tensho Yamamoto are seeking moves to clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, while players like Momoko Tanigawa at Bayern Munich are focusing on cultural and linguistic integration. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-11: Japanese footballers make significant moves in German Bundesliga Japanese footballers Kaishu Sano, Sota Kawasaki, and Tensho Yamamoto are making major moves or transitions within the German Bundesliga, including potential interest from RB Leipzig. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-footballers-make-significant-moves-in-german-bundesliga ### 2026-08-05: Japanese athletes boost presence in MLB and Bundesliga Japanese athletes are expanding abroad: eight NPB‑trained players have become MLB All‑Stars, while Borussia Mönchengladbach signs two Japanese footballers, raising its Japanese roster to three. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/japanese-athletes-boost-presence-in-mlb-and-bundesliga --- Cite as: Japanese athlete expansion in MLB and Bundesliga. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/japanese-athlete-expansion-in-mlb-and-bundesliga