It’s a new look team for Japan at the 2025 World Championships after a stellar 2024 season. The best women’s freestyle country in the world won four gold and two bronze medals at the Olympics, and three gold and one bronze at World Championships (non-Olympic weights). 

That's seven golds and three bronzes in one year. 

Japan only lost three matches at 10 weights, including a surprise setback by five-time World/Olympic champion Yui Susaki (50 kg) at the 2024 Olympics. 

You won’t see Susaki at this year’s Worlds. And, you won’t see 2024 Olympic champions Akari Fujinami (53 kg), Tsugami Sakurai (57 kg), or Yuka Kagami (76 kg) — although they are expected to return during the quad. 

The door is wide open for another country to take down Japan, right? Not so fast. Most of Japan’s “back-ups” are World champions, making them the odds-on favorite to repeat. 

Here is a breakdown of Japan’s expected 2025 World Team. 

50 kg: Remina Yoshimoto
Yoshimoto won the 2021 Senior World Championships, which were held several months after the Olympic Games. She defeated American Sarah Hildebrandt — an eventual 2024 Olympic gold medalist — 5-3 in the finals. 

The 25-year-old knocked off three-time age-level World champion Umi Ito to make the team, making her a gold medal favorite. This is her chance to shine with Susaki out of the picture — for now. 

US representative: Audrey Jimenez

53 kg: Haruna Murayama
How’s this for a backup? Murayama (formerly Okuno) won Senior World titles in 2017, 2018, and 2023, two U23 titles, and a 2019 Junior World title. She defeated Hildebrandt, 11-0, in the 2018 World finals when the American star competed at 53 kg and Jaccara Winchester, 4-2, in the 2023 Worlds at 55 kg. 

US Representative: Felicity Taylor

55 kg: Sowaka Uchida

Uchida gets her first crack at a Senor World title after U17 gold in 2022 and 2023, and U20 gold in 2024. She replaces Moe Kiyooka, a 2024 Senior World champion. 

US Representative: Cristelle Rodriguez

57 kg: Himeka Tokuhara
Tokuhara moves down to 57 kg after winning a 59 kg bronze medal at the 2024 U23 World Championships and gold in 2022. She finished first at the 2023 Bill Farrell Memorial International, ahead of Americans Xochitl Mota-Pettis, Brenda Reyna, and Amanda Martinez. Maroulis is a gold medal favorite after a dominant Poland Open, where she was at the top of her game. 

Tokuhara employs an unconventional style, focusing on upper-body techniques rather than traditional leg attacks. 

US Representative: Helen Maroulis

59 kg: Sakura Onishi
Onishi won the 2024 U20 World Championships and 2023 U17 Worlds. She replaces two-time Olympic gold medalist Risako Kinjo (formerly Kawai), who won the 59 kg World Championships last year. 

US Representative: Jacarra Winchester

62 kg: Sakura Motoki
Motoki won the 2024 Olympics after winning silver and bronze at the previous two World Championships. The 23-year-old stunned Nonoka Ozaki — a 2024 Olympic bronze medalist at 68 kg and a two-time World champion — in a World team wrestle-off. She is seeking her first senior-level World title after winning U20s in 2022 and Cadets (U17) in 2018. 

US Representative: Adaugo Nwachukwu

65 kg: Miwa Morikawa
Morikawa has four senior-level World medals, including gold in 2022. She was teched by China’s Jia Long at the 2024 World Championships before earning bronze. American Macey Kilty won bronze on the top side of the bracket, making this a wide-open weight. The 26-year-old medalled at five age-level World Championships, winning two gold medals. 

US Representative: Macey Kilty

68 kg: Ami Ishii
Ishii moves down to 68 after winning a 72 kg World title in 2024. She won a silver medal at the 2022 World Championships, losing by fall to American Tamyra Mensah-Stock in the finals. The 22-year-old is a two-time age-level World champion. 

US Representative: Kennedy Blades

72 kg: Masako Furuichi
Furuichi is an established veteran at this weight. The 28-year-old won the 2021 World Championships along with bronze medals in 2019 and 2022. And, she has seven age-level World golds (three Cadet, three Junior, and one U23). She replaces Ishii, who moved down to 68.

US Representative: Alex Glaude

76 kg: Nodoka Yamamoto
Yamamoto is the only member of the team who does not have an age-level or senior World gold medal. She won 2019 Cadet World bronze and 2023 U23 World bronze. American Kylie Welker has a golden opportunity at this weight after falling to Ishii at the 2024 Worlds before bouncing back for bronze. 

US Representative: Kylie Welker. 

Japan at the World Championships

Japan has won 27 of the 34 contested World Championships, including 10 consecutive.