Japan first competed in the IOL in 2012, and has competed in 14 olympiads. They most recently competed in 2026. They have sent 100 participants in 26 teams.
In competition, teams from Japan have brought home 36 medals (10 gold, 10 silver and 16 bronze), 3 trophies (1 silver and 2 bronze), 5 best-solution prizes, 20 honorable mentions and 2 team contest honorable mentions.
In addition, Japan has sent 6 Repeat Medalists and 1 Dream Team to the Hall of Fame.
Team Japan is chosen through JOL, Japan Linguistics Olympiad (日本言語学オリンピック).
Individual Contest Medalists
| Year |
Medal |
Name |
Team |
| 2026 |
Gold |
Yuki Azuma |
Japan Ninja |
| 2026 |
Gold |
Kenji Lee |
Japan Samurai |
| 2026 |
Gold |
Hiroto Yasui |
Japan Ninja |
| 2024 |
Gold |
Ryusei Omiya |
Japan Ninja |
| 2023 |
Gold |
Ryusei Omiya |
Japan Samurai |
| 2022 |
Gold |
Takamichi Hoshii |
Japan Samurai |
| 2022 |
Gold |
Seiko Ishii |
Japan Ninja |
| 2021 |
Gold |
Hibiki Sugawara |
Japan Samurai |
| 2021 |
Gold |
Takamichi Hoshii |
Japan Ninja |
| 2019 |
Gold |
Takumi Yoshino |
Japan Ninja |
| 2026 |
Silver |
Zicheng Dai |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
Silver |
Hiroto Yasui |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
Silver |
Yuki Azuma |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
Silver |
Yu Matsumoto |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
Silver |
Ryota Aizawa |
Japan Samurai |
| 2024 |
Silver |
Keisuke Taeda |
Japan Ninja |
| 2023 |
Silver |
Rei Kano |
Japan Samurai |
| 2021 |
Silver |
Rio Ogawa |
Japan Samurai |
| 2017 |
Silver |
Takumi Yoshino |
Japan 2 |
| 2014 |
Silver |
Keisuke Yamada |
Japan 2 |
| 2026 |
Bronze |
Chihiro Higo |
Japan Ninja |
| 2026 |
Bronze |
Misaki Ninomiya |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
Bronze |
Joji Mushiaki |
Japan Ninja |
| 2025 |
Bronze |
Rinta Nishino |
Japan Ninja |
| 2024 |
Bronze |
Satoshi Tsukada |
Japan Samurai |
| 2024 |
Bronze |
Kantetsu Oh |
Japan Samurai |
| 2024 |
Bronze |
Yuji Hokugo |
Japan Samurai |
| 2023 |
Bronze |
Hiroto Yasui |
Japan Ninja |
| 2023 |
Bronze |
Satoshi Tsukada |
Japan Ninja |
| 2022 |
Bronze |
Ikoma Kudo |
Japan Samurai |
| 2019 |
Bronze |
Takumi Ose |
Japan Ninja |
| 2019 |
Bronze |
Tsubasa Takahashi |
Japan Ninja |
| 2018 |
Bronze |
Takumi Nishino |
Japan Ninja |
| 2017 |
Bronze |
Yuito Yoneyama |
Japan 1 |
| 2016 |
Bronze |
Tsuyoshi Kobayashi |
Japan Samurai |
| 2015 |
Bronze |
Naoki Nishiyama |
Japan Ninja |
Honorable Mentions
| Year |
Award |
Name |
Team |
| 2025 |
HM |
Yuki Higashikubo |
Japan Ninja |
| 2024 |
HM |
Chihiro Hachiya |
Japan Ninja |
| 2023 |
HM |
Tokai Miyaji |
Japan Samurai |
| 2023 |
HM |
Yuzuki Sugiura |
Japan Ninja |
| 2023 |
HM |
Ruka Seishi |
Japan Ninja |
| 2022 |
HM |
Yuma Kawano |
Japan Ninja |
| 2022 |
HM |
Reona Kubomiya |
Japan Ninja |
| 2022 |
HM |
Yuma Morisawa |
Japan Samurai |
| 2021 |
HM |
Junnosuke Tanaka |
Japan Ninja |
| 2021 |
HM |
Tatsuki Morohoshi |
Japan Ninja |
| 2019 |
HM |
Reona Kubomiya |
Japan Samurai |
| 2018 |
HM |
Takayuki Yamazaki |
Japan Ninja |
| 2017 |
HM |
Ryuhoh Ide |
Japan 1 |
| 2017 |
HM |
Junnosuke Kajita |
Japan 2 |
| 2016 |
HM |
Yuto Yagi |
Japan Ninja |
| 2016 |
HM |
Hirotaka Sato |
Japan Samurai |
| 2015 |
HM |
Yuto Yagi |
Japan Ninja |
| 2015 |
HM |
Hirotaka Sato |
Japan Ninja |
| 2014 |
HM |
Naoki Nishiyama |
Japan 1 |
| 2012 |
HM |
Yutaro Yamada |
Japan |
Individual Contest Highest Average Scores
| Year |
Place |
Team |
|
1st Place |
|
|
1st Place |
|
| 2022 |
3rd Place |
Japan Samurai |
Team Contest Trophies
| Year |
Trophy |
Team |
| 2022 |
Silver |
Japan Samurai |
| 2024 |
Bronze |
Japan Samurai |
| 2022 |
Bronze |
Japan Ninja |
Team Contest Honorable Mentions
| Year |
Award |
Team |
| 2026 |
HM |
Japan Samurai |
| 2025 |
HM |
Japan Ninja |
