Japanese school sports competitions 2026

During the summer of 2026, various Japanese school sports competitions showcased diverse athletic achievements. In early June, the 72nd Akita Prefecture High School Sports Festival saw Saika Izumi win the women’s 48 kg judo title, with Mirai Kusunagi and Tsuki-ka Zakka placing third. Izumi’s victory secured her a second consecutive appearance at the national Inter-High competition and qualification for the Kinki Regional tournament.

In late July, the Chiba Prefecture Middle School Sports Festival featured kendo and swimming. In kendo, Matsuzaki Junior High reached the Kanto final before losing 0-2 to Tōkyō-Meitoku Junior High, while Inage Junior High was eliminated on tie-breaks. Individual kendo competitors, including Ueki Ueki, Fukushima Seiyo, and Miyagawa Noe, were knocked out in the first round. During the swimming events at the Chiba International Aquatic Center, Yachiyo Matsushin Gakuen swimmers achieved several top finishes: Nao Nouchi took 3rd in the 100 m and 2nd in the 200 m freestyle; Yuto Tomono placed 5th in the 200 m and 7th in the 400 m freestyle; and Yuki Yamazaki placed 6th in the 100 m and 5th in the 200 m breaststroke.

Concurrently, at the National High School Inter-High in Hokkaido, Kuramitsu Ken of Hirosaki High School advanced to the boys’ 400 m hurdles final with a time of 52.64 seconds. By late August, the National High School Athletic Meet moved to Nara, where the Akita Technical College tennis team competed in the men’s team, singles, and doubles events. Additionally, Shiga Prefecture released results for its junior high school summer championships across disciplines including soft tennis, table tennis, badminton, gymnastics, judo, and kendo.