Maki Tsukada new women's head coach of Japan

In a significant development for Japanese judo, Maki Tsukada is expected to take over as the head coach of the Japanese women's national judo team, marking a major shift in leadership. Tsukada, 42, is a renowned judoka, having won an Olympic gold medal in Athens and a silver in Beijing in the +78kg category. She is set to succeed Katsuyuki Masuchi, who has been in charge since 2016 but stepped down following the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Japanese Judo Federation (AJJF) has been keen on appointing a woman to lead the women's team, and Tsukada emerged as the frontrunner among other candidates, including Tomoko Fukumi and Yuko Fujii. Tsukada’s previous experience includes a stint as a coach for the national team during the 2016-2021 Olympic cycle, alongside her role as head of the women's judo program at Tokai University.

The AJJF's executive committee is expected to confirm her appointment between late September and early October. At the same time, Keiji Suzuki is likely to remain in his position as the head coach of the men's team. Once the head coaches are confirmed, the next step will be the appointment of national team coaches, with the official unveiling of the full coaching staff scheduled just before the Kodokan Cup in early October.