TOKYO - Japan Rugby League One said Friday that naturalized Japanese players will continue to be registered under the same category as their native-born peers from next season, provided they meet a relaxed set of eligibility criteria, including having held Japanese citizenship since at least May 2025.
League One's announcement of the "special transitional measure" signals a compromise following a legal challenge by foreign-born Japanese players who stood to have their playing opportunities reduced under proposed rule changes aimed at increasing game time for Japanese-born players.
Under changes set to be introduced from the 2026-27 season, the previous Category A, for players eligible to represent Japan, was to be split into A-1 and A-2.
Originally, those who were Japanese by birth would be A-1, while naturalized players would be A-2, with fewer slots on the field and in match-day squads, unless they met criteria such as 30 test caps for the Brave Blossoms or having six years of Japanese schooling below high school.
The league said the parties had reached a settlement on Thursday under which naturalized players who meet the revised criteria will also be categorized as A-1.
A group of 24 overseas-born players with Japanese citizenship filed complaints with the Japan Fair Trade Commission and the Tokyo District Court, seeking a provisional injunction to halt the introduction of the new classification.
The league indicated a softening of its stance in late July and willingness to work on a compromise with the players involved in the legal action.
Players who had been registered with the Japan Rugby Football Union under a quota for members of other Asian unions before the start of the 2021 season will also qualify for Category A-1.
League One said it decided to revise the eligibility criteria to preserve continuity with the rules of its predecessor competition, Top League, under which naturalized players and former Asian-quota players could be selected without restrictions.
"We concluded that those players should continue to be classified as Category A-1 and remain exempt from appearance limits under the new system," League One said in a statement.
League One said it reconsidered the rules after receiving feedback from affected players, fans and media organizations and conducting further discussions with its clubs.
