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Updates on Transfers

April 1 is the start of Japan's new academic and fiscal year, and there's always a wave of transfer announcements to go with it. Some notable ones yesterday:
  • 800 m NR holder Rin Kubo skipped university to go straight to 2023 Queens Ekiden national champion Sekisui Kagaku after her graduation from Higashi Osaka Keiai H.S.
  • Multiple NR holder Nozomi Tanaka rejoined the Toyota Jidoshokki women's team after having left it to pursue a solo pro career as a New Balance athlete.
  • Already on the team for this fall's Nagoya Asian Games in the 10000 m, Ririka Hironaka announced a switch from her longtime home at Japan Post to the Uniqlo women's team.
  • Collegiate marathon record holder Asahi Kuroda joined the 2026 national champion GMO corporate team after graduating from 2026 Hakone Ekiden champ Aoyama Gakuin University last week.
  • Hakone Ekdien First Stage CR holder Rui Aoki joins the Sumitomo Denko corporate team after running his final race for 2025 Izumo Ekiden winner Koku Gakuin University at last month's United Airlines NYC Half.
  • Hakone Ekiden Second Stage CR holder Victor Kimutai joined the SID Group corporate team after his graduation from Josai University.
  • Two-time Hakone Ekiden stage winner Shunsuke Yoshii follows his older brother Yamato Yoshii in going from Chuo University to the Toyota corporate team.
  • Last year's top Japanese high jumper at 2.33 m, Yuto Seko joins the Yamada Holdings corporate team.
  • 2025 World University Games half marathon silver medalist Makoto Tsuchiya of 2024 national champion Ritsumeikan University joined the Daihatsu corporate women's team.
  • 2025 Hakone Ekiden Ninth Stage winner Yuga Sakurai of Josai University joined the Kraftia team headed by last year's Berlin marathon runner-up Akira Akasaki.
  • 2025 Kanto Regionals men's 1500 m winner Takumi Shiobara and 2024 National University Track and Field Championships men's 800 m champion Shuta Azuma have joined the Fujisan GX corporate team.
  • A Paris Olympian in the 4x100 m while still at Toyo University, Hiroki Yanagita becomes the first sprinter at the Honda corporate team in 43 years.
  • Paris Olympics women's 10000 m team member Yuka Takashima left the Shiseido corporate team, her new home yet to be announced.
  • 2022 World U20 Championships women's hammer throw bronze medalist and last year's national champion Raika Murakami heads to the Zenrin corporate team.
  • A 27:54.06 runner for 10000 m at Waseda University, Yuhi Nakaya has retired at 26 to become assistant coach back home at Saku Chosei H.S.
  • 2021 Tokyo Olympics men's marathon team member Shogo Nakamura took over as head coach at Meiji Gakuin University.
  • 2021 Tokyo Olympics men's marathon team alternate Ryo Hashimoto was named assistant coach at his alma mater Aoyama Gakuin University after retiring from GMO.
  • Assistant coach Noriaki Nishide took over as head coach at 2019 Hakone Ekiden winner Tokai University, with previous head coach Hayashi Morozumi stepping back to focus on scouting and recruitment.
  • 2019 men's 3000 mSC national champion and Tokai alumnus Ryohei Sakaguchi announced that he has ended his relationship with On and will continue competing in a TBA new environment.
  • 2015 Asian Games 1500 m silver medalist Maya Iino became assistant coach of the women's long distance team at her alma mater Tokyo Nogyo University.
  • Having retired from the Chuo Hatsujo corporate team after last month's Tokyo Marathon, 2014 Hakone Ekiden MVP Kento Otsu was named assistant coach at Rikkyo University.
  • Takahisa Hakozaki, head coach of 2013 National High School Ekiden boys' winner Yamanashi Gakuin H.S., became head coach of 2020-21 National High School Ekiden winner Sera H.S.
© 2026 Brett Larner, all rights reserved

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