About Toyo University SPORTS NEWS
Pick up the latest spotlight information about Toyo University
SPORTS NEWS 01
Hikaru Kato is Victorious, and Shunpei Ohata is Runner Up
at the 2021 All Japan Boxing Championship
The 2021 All Japan Boxing Championship was held for five days from November 24, 2021, at the Sumida City Gymnasium, Tokyo.
From the Women’s Boxing Club that was newly founded this year, Hikaru Kato (1st year student, Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Business Administration) participated in the Women’s Light Flyweight Division. Kato overcame her Takushoku University opponent with a unanimous 5-0 decision in the final. Kato also took home the Technique Award, marking a glorious start to the Girls Boxing Club.
Shunpei Ohata (3rd year student, Department of Accounting and Finance, Faculty of Business Administration) also put in a solid performance and finished runner-up in the Boys Lightweight Division.
The All Japan Boxing Championship is the pinnacle of amateur boxing in Japan and has produced boxers active on the world stage, such as Toyo alumni and current WBA Middleweight Super Champion, Ryota Murata. Expectations are rising regarding the Boxing Club’s progress.
 Boxing Club group photo |
 Winner and Technique Award recipient, Hikaru Kato |
SPORTS NEWS 02
Toyo University Rugby Club Returned to the Kanto University League 1st Division for the First Time in 29 Years With Victory in Promotion-Relegation Playoff
The Kanto University League 1st Division Promotion-Relegation Playoff was held on December 11, 2021, at the Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, Saitama Prefecture. Toyo University Rugby Club finished 2nd in the 2nd Division this season and won the playoffs 26-21 against Chuo University, who finished 7th in 1st Division. Toyo ended their 29-year absence from the 1st Division returning for the first time since 1993.
Toyo made a bright start and took an early lead; however, the game intensified, and Chuo took the lead 19-21 in the 19th minute of the second half. But with Chuo giving away penalties, Toyo regained the lead in the 25th minute of the second half. Thanks to stoic defending, Toyo could hold off Chuo’s ferocious attacks until the final whistle.
It was a long-awaited achievement for Toyo, as despite having won the 2nd Division last year, the playoffs were not held due to the impact of COVID-19. We are looking forward to great things from the ever tenacious Toyo University Rugby Club as they would take their well-earned place in the 1st Division.
SPORTS NEWS 03
Yuka Kagami Won the 76kg Women’s Freestyle at the All Japan Wrestling Championship for the Second Year Running
The 2021 All Japan Wrestling Championship Emperor’s Cup took place at the Komazawa Olympic Park General Sports Ground, Tokyo, on December 16, 2021. Yuka Kagami (2nd year student, Department of Media and Communications, Faculty of Sociology) overcame a close final of the 76kg Women’s Freestyle to come out on top for the second consecutive year. In the final, Kagami’s aggressive approach gave away the lead to her opponent; however, she leveled the score by staying consistent to her natural attacking style, and the match finished 2-2 and after intense attacking and defending. Kagami brought home the victory, having won the last point.
In the trials for the World Wrestling Championships in last May, Kagami competed with a ligament injury in her right ankle and could not make the cut. Using this disappointment as impetus, Kagami looked to make a comeback and trained hard. As a result, she pulled off the spectacular feat of winning back-to-back tournaments. All eyes are on Kagami as she aims to win Japan’s first Women's Heavyweight Freestyle Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Photos:Japan Wrestling Federation
SPORTS NEWS 04
The Hockey Division of the Ice Skating Club Won the Intercollege Skating Championships for the Second Consecutive Year
The First Division of the Ice Hockey 94th Intercollege Skating Championships was held in December 2021 at the Obihiro Forest Ice Arena, Hokkaido. The Hockey Division of the Toyo University Ice Skating Club won all their games leading up to the final on the 29th of December, where they beat Meiji University to win the tournament. Toyo scored the first goal in the tensely contested final, and in the end, Toyo came out victorious 7-5. 3rd year defender Taiki Takebe (3rd year student, Department of Sociocultural Studies, Faculty of Sociology) was chosen as tournament MVP, and forwards Masato Kume (4th year student, Department of Sociocultural Studies, Faculty of Sociology) and Yutaro Kobori (4th year student, Department of Sociocultural Studies, Faculty of Sociology), defender Shunta Kimura (2nd year student, Department of Sociocultural Studies, Faculty of Sociology), and goalkeeper Eiki Sato (2nd year student, Department of Sociocultural Studies, Faculty of Sociology) were chosen for the best six.
This victory in the winter Intercollege for a second consecutive year, combined with their successes in the Chichibunomiya Cup and the Fall League, meant Toyo took home triple awards for the first time in 13 years. Toyo became the number one ice hockey team in Japan both in name and reality, finishing undefeated in all official season games.
SPORTS NEWS 05
The Women’s Track Field Club Long-Distance Division Put In a Solid Performance at the 2021 Mt. Fuji Ekiden
The 2021 All-Japan University Women’s Ekiden (Mt. Fuji Women’s Ekiden) was held on December 30, 2021. Twenty-four teams, including Toyo University, ran a 43.4km seven-section course that started at the torii gate of the Fujisan Hongu Sengen Taisha in Shizuoka Prefecture and finished at the Fuji Athletic Park Athletic Field. Toyo ran well in the key sections with Mei Shimozato (2nd year student, Department of Food and Life Sciences, Faculty of Food and Nutritional Sciences) making a solid start with a section ranking 4th in the first section. Yui Satake (3rd year student, Department of Food and Life Sciences, Faculty of Food and Nutritional Sciences) also came out ahead of the pack and boosted rankings in the 4th section, handing over the sash with a section ranking 5th. Toyo came home with a time of 2:30:04, finishing in 13th place for the second year running.
Toyo was not able to compete at the All Japan University Women’s Ekiden held last October, which meant that the 2021 Mt. Fuji Ekiden was the first and last race for the current team. However, they gained a lot of experience with 1st and 2nd year students running many of the key sections. The quality of the University Women’s Ekiden is improving year by year, and Toyo University is also implementing new team-building methods to improve the team's overall strength.
 Mei Shimozato (Section 1) |
 Yui Satake (Section 4) |
SPORTS NEWS 06
13 players from the Men's and Women's Football Clubs will Join Professional and Amateur Football Clubs (As of February 4, 2022)
A total of 13 players, six from the Men’s and seven from the Women’s Football Club, signed contracts with professional and amateur clubs and will join from the 2022 season. Please look forward to their successes on the new stage.
 Yuta Aoki Honda FC （Japan Football League） |
 Rinko Ushikubo NOJIMA STELLA KANAGAWA SAGAMIHARA （WE League） |
 Daichi Omori Albirex Niigata Singapore （Singapore Premier League） |
 Tetta Kasashima Briobecca Urayasu （Kanto Soccer League Division 1） |
 Kyosuke Kamiyama Kataller Toyama （J3 LEAGUE） |
 Aoi Sasaki IGA FC KUNOICHI MIE （Nadeshiko League Division 1） |
 Runa Shioya BUNNYS GUNMA FC WHITE STAR （Nadeshiko League Division 1） |
 Hikaru Shibusawa OMIYA ARDIJA VENTUS （WE League） |
 Ami Dekimura NOJIMA STELLA KANAGAWA SAGAMIHARA （WE League） |
 Ai Nakahara BUNNYS GUNMA FC WHITE STAR （Nadeshiko League Division 1） |
 Yuta Nakamura Verspah OITA （Japan Football League） |
 Minori Hayashi OMIYA ARDIJA VENTUS （WE League） |
 Rui Yokoyama Montedio Yamagata （J2 LEAGUE） |
Alumni Breaking Sports News
Mitakeumi (2015 graduate, Faculty of Law, Dewanoumi Stable, real name: Hisashi Omichi) won the top-division (makunouchi) championship in the January 2022 Grand Sumo Tournament for the third time, and was the first Toyo alumni sumo wrestler to reach the rank of ōzeki.
At the Beijing Winter Olympics, Asa Ando (2019 graduate, Faculty of Law) competed in two Alpine Skiing events, finishing 24th in the Women’s Giant Slalom and recording a “did not finish” for the Women’s Slalom.