Shohei Ono will be absent at the All Japan Championships in the weekend of 3 and 4 April, reports Judo Inside.
The Japanese Judo Federation (AJJF) announced the draw of the Championships which also has Akira Sone, the Olympic champions +78kg absent. However the field is amazing with still six olympic champions, definitely relevant to watch for the world of judo.
Some of the amazing pools U66kg may see a confrontation on Sunday 4th between Olympic Champion Hifume Abe and former World Champion Joshiro Maruyama.
Sunday may be the most spectacular day with another top contest in the making between Naohisa Takato and Ryuju Nakayama, if both survive the shift, which is never a guarantee.
Heavyweights Hisayoshi Harasawa and world champion Kokoro Kageura will also be in action on Sunday.
The All Japan Championships competition promise to be extremely attractive event with huge battles with the best eight fighters of Japan.