Japan's new eligibilty rules will change landscape for international stars

Japan Rugby League One has issued a formal clarification on its new player eligibility rules following speculation prompted by recent media reports, insisting it remains ‘open for business’ for international rugby stars.

The league confirmed that new eligibility criteria will come into effect from the 2026–27 season.

Previously players were divided into three categories: One which catered for internationally capped foreign test players (Category C – each team is allowed three), one covering non-capped foreign players (Category B), and a third that catered for players of Japanese background either by birth or long-term residency, along with foreign players who were nearing eligibility for the Brave Blossoms (Category A).

The changes to the rules include a revision of the existing “Category A” classification, which previously covered non-capped foreign players close to national qualification and those with Japanese heritage or long-term residency.

Under the revised system, Category A will be divided into two sub-groups:

Category A1 will include players born in Japan or with Japanese lineage (one or more parents or grandparents born in Japan), those who have completed six years of elementary and three years of junior high school in Japan without representing another test nation, and players who have earned 30 or more caps for Japan.

Category A2 will consist of players who have been registered solely with the Japan Rugby Football Union for four consecutive years. Crucially, these players will now be included in a club’s foreign player quotas.

Players capped by Japan but who have yet to reach the 30-test threshold will initially fall into Category A2, with promotion to A1 possible upon reaching the cap milestone. These players will remain eligible for international selection under World Rugby’s criteria.

From 2026–27, League One teams will be required to field at least eight Category A1 players at any given time, down from the current requirement of 11 Category A players.

Simply put, players who qualify for Japan under World Rugby eligibility rules but have not yet met the criteria for A1 status in Japan Rugby League One will still be eligible to play for the Brave Blossoms, meaning the residential pathway to test rugby in Japan remains unchanged.

The knock-on effect is that some older foreign players – both test-capped and non-capped – may struggle to find places in Japan under the new system, particularly at their current salary levels, with clubs expressing concern that wages for Category B players were becoming too high.

Chief Operating Officer Hajime Shoji said, “It is a difficult balance, but there are no exclusions. Players who have already played for the Brave Blossoms but have not yet achieved either of the A1 requirements will still be able to play for their clubs.”

Shoji stressed that the changes were made in consultation with clubs and are intended to strengthen pathways for Japanese talent without deterring international recruitment.

“No players are being ‘shut out’ of the system,” Shoji said. “We are simply looking to re-set the balance in favour a bit more towards Japanese players, as League One is, after all, a Japanese competition.”

Since its inception four years ago, League One has seen an uptick in players qualifying for domestic status through long-term development. Clubs are expected to continue leveraging the system to build squads that include both emerging Japanese players and international signings.

While some Category A players will shift to A2 under the new rules, Shoji noted that opportunities remain across all three divisions. Several players have already moved from Division One to lower-tier clubs, with the trend contributing to increased competitiveness.

Division Two has featured a number of high-profile test players at fly-half in the current season, including Freddie Burns (England), Quade Cooper (Australia), Rhys Patchell (Wales), Lima Sopoaga (New Zealand and Samoa), and Tom Taylor (New Zealand).

“We are confident the learning and growth opportunities for Japanese players will increase with the change, without lessening the attraction for foreign players,” Shoji added.