Japanese Youth Players Turning Professional (2027)

Every year dozens of players sign for professional clubs straight out of the U-18 age group in Japan. The list below separates players who will join after graduating from those who have already signed a professional contract while still playing for their high school or academy. Each entry has been checked against the club's own announcement.

Provisional signings (joining after graduation) (20)

These players are still at their high school or club academy. Their professional clubs have announced that they will join.

PosPlayerCurrent teamRouteJoiningWhen
DFIWASHITA YutoTokai University Shizuoka Shoyo High SchoolHigh schoolJubilo Iwata January 2027
FWNISHIMURA TowaAIE International High SchoolHigh schoolTochigi City February 2027
DFNAKAGAWA MasatoKibogaoka High SchoolHigh schoolTegevajaro Miyazaki January 2027
DFOZORA SenaKamimura Gakuen High SchoolHigh schoolShimizu S-Pulse January 2027
MFUCHIDA KoseiRyutsu Keizai University Kashiwa High SchoolHigh schoolKataller Toyama 2026/27 season
DFDAITOKU GoshiRyutsu Keizai University Kashiwa High SchoolHigh schoolKataller Toyama 2026/27 season
MFOSHITA AoiToyokawa High SchoolHigh schoolShonan Bellmare January 2027
MFTATEMI ShunShutoku High SchoolHigh schoolShimizu S-Pulse January 2027
MFWATANABE RitaTeikyo High SchoolHigh schoolYokohama FC 2027
DFHAGIHARA KeiToko Gakuen High SchoolHigh schoolFC Imabari January 2027
MFYAMAMOTO ShogoYamagata Meisei High SchoolHigh schoolMontedio Yamagata January 2027
GKMATSUURA Jin BieraHamamatsu Kaiseikan High SchoolHigh schoolShimizu S-Pulse January 2027
DFFUJITA AsutoKawasaki Frontale U-18Club academyKawasaki Frontale January 2027
MFOGAWA HirotoKawasaki Frontale U-18Club academyKawasaki Frontale January 2027
DFMATSUMURA Hideaki type-2Shonan Bellmare U-18Club academyShonan Bellmare January 2027
MFNAKAMURA Ryu type-2Shonan Bellmare U-18Club academyShonan Bellmare January 2027
DFODIKE Chisom Taichi type-2Nagoya Grampus U-18Club academyNagoya Grampus February 2027
DFSHIRAOGAWA Rekuto type-2Nagoya Grampus U-18Club academyNagoya Grampus February 2027
MFTSUNEYOSHI RyomaNagoya Grampus U-18Club academyNagoya Grampus February 2027
DFYOKOGAWA TenmaZweigen Kanazawa U-18Club academyZweigen Kanazawa Not announced

Already under professional contract (27)

These players have already signed professional contracts while still in the U-18 age group. Most are registered as type-2 players, which lets them play for the first team while remaining with the academy.

PosPlayerCurrent teamRouteJoiningWhen
DFMOTOSUNA Anthony Udemba type-2Kashima Antlers YouthClub academyKashima Antlers #35Signed pro contract in December 2025
FWYOSHIDA Minato type-2Kashima Antlers YouthClub academyKashima Antlers #30Signed pro contract in December 2025
DFKUMADA Yoshito type-2RB Omiya Ardija U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #43Signed pro contract in January 2026
DFKIDERA SunaoRB Omiya Ardija U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #44Signed pro contract in February 2026
MFKANDA Taito type-2RB Omiya Ardija U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #17Signed pro contract in July 2025
MFEDWARD Mattew type-2RB Omiya Ardija U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #47Signed pro contract in January 2026
MFKOBAYASHI Yuzuki type-2RB Omiya Ardija U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #77Signed pro contract in June 2026
DFTANAKA Yoshitaka type-2Urawa Red Diamonds YouthClub academyUrawa Red Diamonds #28Signed pro contract in January 2026
MFWADA Takeshi type-2Urawa Red Diamonds YouthClub academyUrawa Red Diamonds #43Signed pro contract in January 2026
MFCHONAN Kaiji type-2Kashiwa Reysol U-18Club academyKashiwa Reysol #23Signed pro contract in April 2025
MFHIMENO Makoto type-2JEF United Chiba U-18Club academyJEF United Chiba #37Signed pro contract in October 2025
GKWATANABE Matthew type-2FC Tokyo U-18Club academyFC Tokyo #372026/27 season (promoted from the academy)
GKNIIBORI Keita type-2FC Tokyo U-18Club academyFC Tokyo 2026/27 season (promoted from the academy)
MFMIIDERA ShinYokohama F. Marinos YouthClub academyYokohama F. Marinos #47Signed pro contract in April 2026
FWSAITO Kakeru type-2Yokohama FC YouthClub academyYokohama FC #45Signed pro contract in June 2026
GKMATSUURA Hiroto type-2Albirex Niigata U-18Club academyAlbirex Niigata #412026/27 season
MFNISHIOKA Kento type-2Jubilo Iwata U-18Club academyJubilo Iwata #17Signed pro contract in March 2026
DFYAMAKAWA Hiroto type-2FC Gifu U-18Club academyFC Gifu Signed pro contract in April 2026
DFYOKOI Yuya type-2Gamba Osaka YouthClub academyGamba Osaka #342026 season
DFEZEMUOKWE Chimezie Kai type-2Cerezo Osaka U-18Club academyCerezo Osaka #43Signed pro contract in June 2026
MFHAMANA Genki type-2Nara Club YouthClub academyNara Club #37Signed pro contract in July 2026
MFNOGUCHI RentoSanfrecce Hiroshima F.C YouthClub academySanfrecce Hiroshima #462026/27 season (promoted from the academy)
MFTAKEMOTO Shohei type-2Avispa Fukuoka U-18Club academyAvispa Fukuoka #52Signed pro contract in April 2025
FWMAEDA Hikaru type-2Avispa Fukuoka U-18Club academyAvispa Fukuoka #53Signed pro contract in September 2025
DFFUJIKAWA Takezo type-2Avispa Fukuoka U-18Club academyAvispa Fukuoka #58Signed pro contract in June 2026
MFIZAWA Riku type-2Sagan Tosu U-18Club academySagan Tosu #47Signed pro contract in July 2026
FWMCGHEE Jelani RenFC Ryukyu U-18Club academyRB Omiya Ardija #49Signed pro contract in January 2026

How to read these tables

Pos = position, Pts = points (3 for a win, 1 for a draw), P = played, W/D/L = won/drawn/lost, GF/GA = goals for/against, GD = goal difference. Pref. is the prefecture where the team is based. Team names link to our team profiles (in Japanese), which include history, notable alumni and current squads.

“type-2” marks a player registered to play J.League matches for the first team while remaining in the academy. That list is not complete: clubs announce type-2 registrations in batches.

Where a player has no official English spelling published by the JFA or the J.League, the name is shown in Japanese.

See also: Japan youth national team squads and how youth football works in Japan.