Japan Rugby League One, formerly known as the Top League, is a rugby union competition in Japan. It is the highest level of professional rugby competition in the country. The Japan Rugby Football Union created the competition in 2003, by absorbing the Japan Company Rugby Football Championship. The chief architect of the league was Hiroaki Shukuzawa who strongly felt the urgency of improving Japanese domestic company rugby to a professional level which would allow Japan to compete more convincingly at Rugby World Cups.
Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. They are based in Fuchu, Tokyo, as is their local rival Suntory Sungoliath. They won the second ever Top League championship in the 2004-5 season and the Microsoft Cup in 2005 under their innovative and inventive coach Masahiro Kunda, himself a former hooker for Toshiba and Japan. They are particularly known for the strength of their mauls. Before the Top League was created, the team was called Toshiba Fuchu after their location. Their slogan for 2006 season was "Once again to the Pinnacle (Restart)". The team rebranded as Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to Japan Rugby League One in 2022.
Tokyo Sungoliath is owned by the Suntory beverage company and is one of the Japanese rugby union teams in the Top League. The team is based in Fuchū, Tokyo, as is their local rival Toshiba Brave Lupus. The team rebranded as Tokyo Sungoliath ahead of the rebranding of the Top League to the Japan Rugby League One in 2022.
Black Rams Tokyo is a Japanese rugby union team in the Japan Rugby League One. Being ranked tenth meant that, in order to continue in the league, it had to defeat one of the top regional clubs in a play-off, which it achieved.
Saitama Wild Knights is a Japanese rugby union team formerly based in Ōta city, Gunma prefecture which played in the Top League. In 2021 it relocated 13 kilometers south to Kumagaya, Saitama prefecture, and rebranded as Saitama Wild Knights accordingly. It now plays in Japan Rugby League One.
Keegan Rhys Daniel is a South African rugby union player who last played for the Sharks in Super Rugby and in the Currie Cup and the Sharks XV in the Rugby Challenge.
Edogawa Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the Edogawa area of Tokyo, Japan. The stadium looks the same as many multi-purpose stadiums of its era in Japan. The stadium seats 6,950 and is mainly used for football and rugby union but features a broad running track for track and field events.
Alando Soakai is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He is currently the head coach of the Wellington Lions in the National Provincial Championship. He is best known for his time with the Highlanders in Super Rugby and Otago in the ITM Cup, and as captain of Otago in their 2009 and 2010 campaigns. He currently serves on the coaching staff of the Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One, the club where he finished his playing career.
Urayasu D-Rocks, commonly known as the D-Rocks, or the Shining Arcs, is a rugby union team owned by NTT Communications and is part of Japan's Rugby League One competition, currently in Division 2. Given the name, the team is based in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture in the Kantō region. The team has undergone several re-brands throughout is history, most recently in 2022, rebranding from Shining Arcs Tokyo-Bay Urayasu in line with the newly formed Japan Rugby League One competition in 2021/22, to the Urayasu D-Rocks in 2022 onwards.
Liam Brian Williams is a Welsh professional rugby union player who plays for Kubota Spears in Japan Rugby League One. At international level, he has represented Wales, having made his test debut against New Zealand in 2012, and the British & Irish Lions in 2017 and 2021. Williams has previously played for Scarlets, Saracens, and Cardiff.
Bryn Desmond Hall is a New Zealand rugby union player who currently plays as a halfback for Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay in the Japan Rugby League One. He previously played for North Harbour in New Zealand's domestic Bunnings NPC competition and the Crusaders in Super Rugby.
Michael Broadhurst is a New Zealand born Japanese rugby union player who plays at flanker, lock or number 8 for the Ricoh Black Rams in the Top League and the Japan national rugby union team.
Malcolm Justin Marx is a South African professional rugby union player who currently plays for the South Africa national rugby team and Kubota Spears in the Japan Rugby League One. His regular position is hooker, but he did play as a flanker at youth level for the Golden Lions. He is widely regarded as one of the best hookers in World Rugby.
Tauate Valu Uwe Helu is a professional rugby union player who plays as a lock for Japan Rugby League One club Kubota Spears. Born in Tonga, he represents Japan at international level after qualifying on residency grounds.
Takashi Akatsuka, is a former Japanese rugby union player. He played as lock.
Faulua Makisi is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a flanker. He currently plays for Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay in Japan's domestic Japan Rugby League One.
The 2022 Japan Rugby League One – Division 1 was the inaugural season of Japan's new professional three-tier Rugby union competition. It consisted of twelve franchises and played five teams twice and six teams once resulting in each team playing a total of sixteen games home and away. The top four sides at the end of the regular season contested the annual play-offs, whilst the bottom three sides went into a promotion and relegation playoff against the top three sides from the 2022 Japan Rugby League One – Division 2. The champions were the Saitama Wild Knights for the second season in a row. They beat Tokyo Sungoliath in the final 12–18.
Kota Kaishi is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a loose-head prop for Kubota Spears Funabashi Tokyo Bay in the Japan Rugby League One.
Tomoki Osada is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a centre for Japan and Saitama Wild Knights in the Japan Rugby League One.
