Japan have announced a 17-man roster for the upcoming FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, with new Los Angeles Clippers teammates Rui Hachimura and Yuki Kawamura among the headline names.
The Japan Basketball Association confirmed the squad ahead of the national team’s upcoming training camp and qualifying games against Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The selection comes at an interesting moment for Japanese basketball, with both Hachimura and Kawamura recently making moves that brought them together at the NBA level.
Hachimura and Kawamura reunite with Clippers
Hachimura enters the national-team window after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers during free agency and joining the Clippers.
The Japanese forward signed a two-year, $28 million contract with the Los Angeles organization and is expected to play an important role during the 2026-27 NBA season.
Kawamura has also moved to the Clippers after spending the 2026 NBA Summer League with the Indiana Pacers.
The 25-year-old guard signed an Exhibit 10 contract, giving him an opportunity to compete for a place on Los Angeles’ regular-season roster during training camp.
Their reunion gives the Clippers two of Japan’s most recognizable basketball players, although Kawamura still faces a battle to secure a permanent spot on the NBA roster.
Yuta Watanabe also returns to Japan squad
Japan will have another player with significant NBA experience available for the upcoming window in Yuta Watanabe.
The former NBA forward has returned to Japanese basketball and remains one of the country’s most experienced international players.
The roster also includes several established names such as Josh Hawkinson, Yuki Togashi, Yudai Baba and Keisei Tominaga.
Japan have also selected younger players as part of the 17-man group, including Fordham’s Akira Jacobs and Seattle University’s Yuto Kawashima.
Japan’s full 17-man roster
Yuki Togashi, Yuta Watanabe, Josh Hawkinson, Takumi Saito, Yudai Baba, Ryusei Sasaki, Avi Koki Schafer, Rui Hachimura, Hirotaka Yoshii, Hugh Watanabe, Yudai Nishida, Shinji Takashima, Keisei Tominaga, Yuki Kawamura, Fuminori Kano, Akira Jacobs, and Yuto Kawashima.
Japan face South Korea before World Cup qualifiers
Japan will begin its preparations with two friendly games against South Korea at Ariake Arena on August 15 and 16.
The official World Cup qualifying campaign will then resume later in the month.
Japan are scheduled to travel to Jeddah to face Saudi Arabia on August 28, before returning home for a matchup with Qatar at Toyota Arena Tokyo on August 31.
With Hachimura and Kawamura both preparing for important NBA seasons, Japan will hope their presence can help the national team continue building momentum on the international stage.
The upcoming window will also provide an opportunity for Japan’s younger players to gain experience alongside some of the country’s most accomplished basketball talents.
