"All-Japan Judo Championships by Weight Class" (5th, Fukuoka International Center)

Japan men's national team coach Keiji Suzuki gave an interview and gave an overview of the first day.

Four men's weight classes were held: 60kg, 66kg, 73kg, and 81kg. However, none of the Olympic medalists who participated, including Hifumi Abe (Park 24), who missed the semifinals due to discomfort in his left elbow, Takanori Nagase (Asahi Kasei), and Ryuju Nagayama (Park 24), were able to win. Coach Suzuki said, "Looking at it critically, I wanted them to advance firmly," but added, "I'm very happy that they took on the challenge of this tournament, even though some athletes are taking a break after the Olympics, and I want to give this challenge a lot of credit."

This tournament is also being held as a selection for the World Championships (Budapest) in June. Hifumi Abe missed the semi-finals, but since 2024 World Championship champion Ryoma Tanaka (JES Elevator) lost in the first match, it is highly likely that he will be selected for the team. Abe himself said after the match that "This year's big event is the World Championships," and coach Suzuki also said, "We never had it in our minds that he would win a gold medal at the Olympics and become a representative for the World Championships without competing in anything. I think this (this tournament) was the best time for him to make the most adjustments to become a representative, and that he could do his best in terms of weight and motivation." He did not deny the possibility of him being selected for the team.