Liverpool Football Club signing Takumi Minamino and Rugby World Cup star Kotaro Matsushima were among the Japanese athletes named in Forbes' fifth annual "30 Under 30 Asia" list.
Wheelchair tennis player Yui Kamiji, gymnasts Kenzo Shirai and Takeru Kitazono, skateboarder Aori Nishimura and Formula 4 driver Juju Noda joined other high-profile game-changers on the Asia list released this month.
Forbes picked them in the Asia-Pacific region's entertainment and sports category. Riri, a 20-year-old Japanese R&B singer-songwriter, also made the cut.
The list features 300 of Asia's youngest and most talented entrepreneurs, leaders and change-makers, all under the age of 30.
"This year's Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list-makers inspire optimism in what is promising to be a tough year ahead," Rana Wehbe, Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Editor, said in a press release.
"They are a resilient and energetic bunch who are facing challenges head-on and actively working for a future that matches their aspirations."
