CORNERFLICK
The Premier League has started the 2026/27 season with 10 Japanese players registered at clubs, the highest total in the competition’s history.
Japanese presence climbs again
That figure sits alongside 14 Japanese players in the Bundesliga, underlining the growing footprint of Japanese footballers across Europe’s top leagues.
The Premier League list includes Kaoru Mitoma at Brighton, Daichi Kamada and Takehiro Tomiyasu at Crystal Palace, Wataru Endo at Liverpool, Kota Takai at Tottenham, Ao Tanaka at Leeds, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto at Coventry, Hidemasa Morita at Hull City, Daizen Maeda at Ipswich and Zion Suzuki at Aston Villa.
Takai is the only exception in terms of status. Tottenham still hold his contract, but he has gone on loan to Sint-Truiden for more playing time, so the count refers to players registered with and under contract to Premier League clubs at the start of the season.
Suzuki makes further history
Suzuki’s move to Aston Villa made him the first Japanese goalkeeper to play in the Premier League, another marker of Japan’s rising influence in European football.