TOKYO - Shunichiro Sato, a member of the Japan men's volleyball national team, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of possessing cannabis, an investigative source said.
The national squad has been holding a training camp in Tokyo's Kita Ward through June 6 ahead of the upcoming Volleyball Nations League in Linyi, China, according to the Japan Volleyball Association.
The JVA removed the 205-centimeter middle blocker from the national team roster.
The governing body apologized to related parties and fans for betraying their trust, saying in a statement, "We take this incident very seriously."
The 26-year-old Sato was suspected of possessing cannabis at a pachinko parlor in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, adjacent to Kita Ward, on Wednesday, according to the source.
Sato played for Wolfdogs Nagoya in Japan's SV.League during the 2025-26 season.
