With strict limitations on immigration still a reality in Japan, the Dec. 6 Fukuoka International Marathon has announced an almost entirely domestic field of less than 100 that includes only five Japan-based foreign-born athletes plus an all-Japan-based Kenyan pacing crew led by Bedan Karoki (Toyota).
Not that the field is hurting for quality. Ryu Takaku (Yakult), 2:06:45 in Tokyo this year, 2018 Fukuoka winner and Tokyo Olympics marathon team member Yuma Hattori (Toyota), and Taku Fujimoto (Toyota), a bump up to the 2019 Fukuoka winner's position pending after the subsequent suspension of the Moroccan who crossed the line first for biological passport violations, make up the front end of a field that includes eleven current sub-2:10 men and seven of last year's top ten. Hattori has said publicly that he'll be going for Suguru Osako's 2:05:29 national record, and with pacing support from teammates Karoki and Fujimoto, his former Toyo University teammate Takaku there with him, and no dirty athletes to effortlessly tear him in half at the end, if the weather is good his chances will be too.
Shizuoka-based Kenyan Michael Githae (Suzuki) is the top international in the field with a best of 2:09:21 from Lake Biwa in 2018, but sub-60 half marathoner Paul Kuira (JR Higashi Nihon) still has potential to improve on his 2:11:58 best, and likewise for former Takushoku University ekiden team captain Derese Workneh (Hiramatsu Byoin). Workneh's teammate Cyrus Kingori (Hiramatsu Byoin) looks promising in his debut with a 1:01:31 for 4th at last year's Gifu Seiryu Half.
One promising name for a breakthrough in the Japanese field is Taiki Suzuki (Raffine), 9th last year in 2:12:09 in his marathon debut. It'll be interesting as well to see if Yuya Yoshida (GMO) can build on his inspiring at-the-time-career-ending 2:08:30 debut at Beppu-Oita this year, and it still feels like Olympic team alternate Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) has more waiting in him than his 2:10:12 best from Beppu-Oita two years ago. Toyo fans will be hoping the same for Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu), twin brother of former NR holder Yuta Shitara.
Check back closer to race date for more info on TV broadcast and live streaming options.
Fukuoka International Marathon Field Highlights
Fukuoka, 6 Dec. 2020
times listed are best within last three years except where noted
Ryu Takaku (Yakult) - 2:06:45 (8th, Tokyo 2020)
Yuma Hattori (Toyota) - 2:07:27 (1st, Fukuoka Int'l 2018)
Taku Fujimoto (Toyota) - 2:07:57 (8th, Chicago 2018)
Yuya Yoshida (GMO) - 2:08:30 (3rd, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Naoki Okamoto (Chugoku Denryoku) - 2:08:37 (20th, Tokyo 2020)
Tsukasa Koyama (Subaru) - 2:08:53 (4th, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Naoya Sakuda (JF Higashi Nihon) - 2:08:59 (4th, Lake Biwa 2020)
Yuki Kawauchi (Kawauchi) - 2:09:21 (8th, Lake Biwa 2019)
Michael Githae (Kenya/Suzuki) - 2:09:21 (4th, Lake Biwa 2018)
Hayato Sonoda (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:09:34 (2nd, Beppu-Oita 2018)
Jo Fukuda (Fukuoka T&F Assoc.) - 2:09:52 (3rd, Gold Coast 2018)
Kento Otsu (Toyota Kyushu) - 2:10:01 (11th, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Yoshiki Takenouchi (NTT Nishi Nihon) - 2:10:01 (7th, Fukuoka Int'l 2017)
Shohei Otsuka (Kyudenko) - 2:10:12 (3rd, Beppu-Oita 2018)
Koki Yoshioka (Chuo Hatsujo) - 2:10:13 (10th, Lake Biwa 2020)
Asuka Tanaka (Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:10:13 (16th, Tokyo 2018)
Daichi Kamino (Cell Source) - 2:10:18 (18th, Tokyo 2018)
Yuichi Yasui (Toyota) - 2:10:19 (12th, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Junichi Tsubouchi (Kurosaki Harima) - 2:10:19 (13th, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Satoru Sasaki (Asahi Kasei) - 2:10:25 (14th, Beppu-Oita 2020)
Ryo Matsumoto (Toyota) - 2:10:32 (11th, Lake Biwa 2020)
Derese Workneh (Ethiopia/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 2:10:52 (3rd, Fukuoka Int'l 2019)
Natsuki Terada (JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:10:55 (4th, Fukuoka Int'l 2019)
Taiga Ito (Suzuki) - 2:10:59 (6th, Fukuoka Int'l 2019)
Tatsunori Hamasaki (Nanji AC) - 2:11:26 (2nd, Hofu 2017)
Hiroki Sugawa (Toyama T&F Assoc.) - 2:11:46 (1st, Nobeoka 2019)
Paul Kuira (Kenya/JR Higashi Nihon) - 2:11:58 (2nd, Hokkaido 2018)
Kenta Iinuma (SGH Group) - 2:12:06 (36th, Tokyo 2020)
Taiki Suzuki (Raffine) - 2:12:09 (9th, Fukuoka Int'l 2019)
Hiromasa Kumahashi (Sanyo Tokushu Seiko) - 2:12:10 (38th, Tokyo 2020)
Ser-Od Bat-Ochir (Mongolia/NTN) - 2:12:12 (2nd, Hofu 2018)
Keita Shitara (Hitachi Butsuryu) - 2:12:13 (40th, Tokyo 2020)
Yasuyuki Nakamura (Suzuki) - 2:12:22 (3rd, Hofu 2019)
Shusei Ohashi (Kodaira T&F Assoc.) - 2:12:58 (47th, Tokyo 2020)
Debut
Cyrus Kingori (Kenya/Hiramatsu Byoin) - 1:01:31 (4th, Gifu Seiryu Half Marathon 2019)
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