Japan Finishes Second at 1st World Yogasana Sports Championship

New Delhi/Ahmedabad/Tokyo: Japan made a strong statement on the global Yogasana stage by finishing second overall at the 1st World Yogasana Sports Championship 2026, held from June 4 to 9 at EKA Arena by TransStadia in Ahmedabad.

The championship, organised by Yogasana Bharat under the aegis of World Yogasana, brought together more than 522 athletes from over 70 countries across five continents. With 115 events across Sub-Junior, Junior, Senior, Senior A, Senior B and Senior C categories, the event marked an important milestone in the global effort to establish Yogasana as a competitive sport.

India topped the national rankings with a dominant performance, winning 114 medals, including 102 gold, 9 silver, and 3 bronze. Japan secured the second spot with 11 medals — three gold, three silver and five bronze — while Argentina finished third with five medals, including two gold and three silver.

For Japan, the runner-up finish was especially significant as it reflected the growing depth of Yogasana training, competition readiness and athlete development in the country. The Japan Yogasana Sports Federation (JYSF) described the achievement as a historic step forward for Team Japan.

Team Japan sent a 17-member athlete contingent, comprising five men and 12 women. Three athletes, however, were unable to compete due to illness and flight cancellations caused by a typhoon. Despite these challenges, the Japanese team competed across nine disciplines — Traditional Yogasana, Forward Bend, Back Bend, Leg Balance, Hand Balance, Twist, Spine, Artistic and Artistic Pair.

Among the standout Japanese performers was Hisashi Watanabe in the Senior B Men category. He won gold in Supine and three silver medals in Twisting, Hand Balance and Forward Bend. His exceptional all-round performance also earned him the Best Athlete Award, making him one of the key faces of Japan’s success at the championship.

Minakshi Miyoko added another gold for Japan in the Senior C Women’s Traditional Yogasana event, while Tomoko Shimizu won gold in the Senior C Women’s Leg Balance category. Their performances helped Japan consolidate its position as the second-best nation in the overall rankings.

Japan’s bronze medals came through Misaki Yokoyama in Senior A Women’s Twisting, Saori Kyuei in Senior B Women’s Twisting, Takuro Sato in Senior C Men’s Leg Balance, Himali Isoda in Sub-Junior Artistic, and the pair of Renka Aoki and Ichika Shimizu in Sub-Junior Artistic Pair.

The success of Japan’s senior and sub-junior athletes showed that the country’s Yogasana ecosystem was beginning to develop across age categories. The medals won by younger athletes were particularly important for JYSF’s long-term vision of building a pipeline of competitors, instructors and judges who can contribute on the world stage.

Japan’s participation was not limited to athlete performance. The country also contributed to the championship through international judging. Ashutosh Singh, President of JYSF, and Yumi Kashiwagi, Secretary General of JYSF, participated as judges. JYSF said this was the second consecutive year in which it had dispatched judges, helping ensure fair and impartial evaluation of performances by athletes from around the world.

The presence of Japanese judges, along with the team’s medal-winning performance, strengthened Japan’s visibility in the international Yogasana sports community. According to JYSF, the championship demonstrated not only the dedication of Japanese athletes but also Japan’s commitment to the broader development of Yogasana as a global sport.

The championship was supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, and the Sports Authority of India. Among the dignitaries present were Swami Ramdev, President of World Yogasana; Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India; Ms. Raksha Khadse, Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports; Ms. Sujata Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Sports; and senior representatives of the Sports Authority of India and World Yogasana.

JYSF said Team Japan’s second-place finish was made possible not only by the efforts of individual athletes but also by the support of many people in Japan who have worked to promote and develop Yogasana domestically. The federation said it would continue to support athlete development, instructor training, judge development, international exchange and wider recognition of Yogasana sports.

Looking ahead, JYSF said it would work toward creating a competitive environment that uses Japan’s technical excellence and spirit, while contributing to the global vision of Yogasana eventually gaining Olympic recognition.

In its closing remarks, JYSF said the 1st World Yogasana Championship was not merely a competition but the beginning of a global movement. It described the gathering of more than 76 nations in one place as a historic moment that showed Yogasana’s power to connect people across borders.

For Japan, the Ahmedabad championship became a defining moment. By finishing second in the world behind India, Team Japan not only secured a place on the podium but also announced its arrival as a serious force in international Yogasana sports.

Japan at the 1st World Yogasana Sports Championship 2026

Japanese Participants and Medal Winners: