Earthquake in Japanese volleyball! One player was kicked out of the squad after being arrested
Article by David Istrate – Published Friday, May 29, 2026, 3:25 p.m. / Updated Friday, May 29, 2026, 3:38 p.m.
Shuniciro Sato (26), the star of Japan's men's national volleyball team, has been excluded from the national team after he was arrested in Tokyo on suspicion of possession of cannabis. In the context in which this deed is considered extremely serious in the Asian country, talk began about the end of the Japanese center's career.
Tokyo police have arrested Shunichiro Sato, a member of Japan's men's national volleyball team, on suspicion of possession of cannabis, in violation of the Narcotics Control Act. According to japantimes.co.jp, the police accuse the athlete of having cannabis at a pachinko parlor in the Itabashi district, they discovered some pieces of the plant in a bag that he allegedly left there.
Shuniciro Sato, excluded from Japan's men's national volleyball team
Sato told police he got cannabis from an acquaintance and they will do a urine test to see if he has used it. Meanwhile, he was dropped from Japan's national team.
“Today, May 28, Shunichiro Sato, a member of Japan's 2026 men's national volleyball team, was arrested on suspicion of drug possession. The police are investigating the facts of the case. The Japan Volleyball Association (JVA) takes this incident very seriously and deeply apologizes for betraying the trust of everyone involved who supported us and our fans,” the Japan Volleyball Association said.
“JVA has dropped Shunichiro Sato from the 2026 Japan Men's National Volleyball Team roster as of today”, JVA added.
Shuniciro Sato was in the national training camp, the team preparing for the League of Nations. Japan will play in China in June and will meet Ukraine, Poland, China and Slovenia.
The Nagoya Wolfdogs player risks the very end of his professional sports career, because in Japan the possession of drugs and the consumption of prohibited substances are very serious deeds, considered shameful.
