Japan Women vs. Wales Women: WXV Global Series Team News and Preview

Updated October 30, 2026: Japan host Wales at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium on Saturday, October 31, in the WXV Global Series. Kickoff is 4:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+09:00), or 07:00 UTC on October 31. Japan’s matchday squad has been announced. The official sources checked for this update do not confirm a Wales matchday 23, so this preview does not present a Wales starting XV or replacements as settled.

The October 31 match has not yet been played as of this update, so there is no verified result to report. Wales won the teams’ October 24 meeting 17–0 in Tokyo. That score belongs to the earlier fixture and should not be mistaken for the Kumagaya result.

Japan Women vs. Wales Women: date, kickoff and venue

World Rugby lists the fixture for October 31 at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium and gives a 07:00 UTC start; the JRFU lists the local kickoff as 16:00. Japan uses JST year-round, so the conversion on this date is UTC+09:00. These are the event time and venue, not the time a website may display for another region. Broadcast availability outside Japan has not been established by the Japanese listing.

Japan’s confirmed matchday selection

The Japan Rugby Football Union announced 23 registered Japan players on October 29. World Rugby’s October 29 WXV team report identifies Japan’s starting XV. The list below follows that report; the remaining eight names are the other players in the JRFU’s registered matchday squad.

The JRFU announcement numbers the registered players from 1 to 23: Hinata Komaki is No. 1, captain Moe Tsukui is No. 9 and Komachi Imakugi is No. 15; the remaining names are numbered 16 through 23. As with any match, final participation can depend on late changes and events during play. See the JRFU squad announcement and World Rugby’s team report for the published selection.

Wales team news: matchday lineup not confirmed

The Welsh Rugby Union’s September announcement names Wales’ wider 2026 WXV squad and lists the two Japan fixtures, including the October 31 visit to Kumagaya. A tour-squad announcement is not the same as a matchday team sheet. The sources checked for this update do not verify the Wales starting XV or replacements for this match. Names previously shown in a Wales lineup table have therefore been removed rather than carried forward as confirmed selections.

Wales players named in the broader WXV squad should not automatically be treated as available or selected for this fixture. Readers should look for an official Wales Rugby or World Rugby matchday announcement if one is published closer to kickoff. Until then, the confirmed team-sheet update is Japan’s registered 23 and starting XV, while Wales’ matchday selections remain unconfirmed in the sources cited here.

What the previous meeting tells us

Japan and Wales met in Tokyo on October 24. The JRFU’s official result records Wales winning 17–0, with a 7–0 halftime lead. That result makes October 31 a quick rematch, but it does not predetermine the next score. A second game in seven days gives both sides another setting and another opportunity to adjust. The upcoming match is at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium, not Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo.

The confirmed context is straightforward: Japan were held scoreless in the first meeting, while Wales scored 17 points. It is useful to watch whether Japan can turn possession and territory into points and whether Wales can maintain pressure, but those are questions for the match rather than guaranteed storylines. The October 24 score and venue are in the JRFU’s official result notice.

How to watch or follow the fixture

For viewers in Japan, the JRFU’s event-day information lists J SPORTS 1 for live television and J SPORTS On Demand for streaming, both scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m. JST on October 31, 15 minutes before kickoff. These listings apply to Japan; they do not confirm rights or access in other territories. Check a local broadcaster or authorized streaming service for availability elsewhere.

The JRFU says the stadium gates are scheduled to open at 3:00 p.m. JST, with outdoor booths starting at 2:00 p.m. The organizer notes entry timing can move depending on conditions and expects congestion near kickoff. Fans attending should consult the JRFU event-day guide for access, entry and transport notices before traveling.

International readers can follow the fixture through the World Rugby match center, which carries the official fixture record and match information. The Rugby Australia match center also lists the October 31 start as 07:00 and the venue as Kumagaya Rugby Stadium. The JRFU’s official match page is another place to check after the game for a completed result.

What to watch

Japan’s published starting XV includes captain Moe Tsukui and fly-half Sawa Harada in the halfback combination, Komachi Imakugi at fullback, and Honoka Tsunokawa and Mele Yua Havili Kagawa on the wings. That gives readers a confirmed basis for following Japan’s shape in attack and defense. At the set piece, World Rugby lists Hinata Komaki, Moe Nagaoka and Wako Kitano in the front row. Scrums and lineouts are two of the main ways rugby restarts play and contests possession, making them useful areas to watch.

For Wales, matchday personnel remain an open item in the sources checked. The preview can safely say that Wales arrive after the 17–0 win in Tokyo, Japan have named their matchday group, and the rematch is scheduled in Kumagaya one week later. Any prediction about specific Welsh starters or changes should wait for an official team sheet.

Result status

Status as of October 30, 2026: pre-match; no October 31 result is available yet. The only confirmed score in this update is Wales’ 17–0 win over Japan on October 24. After the final whistle in Kumagaya, check the World Rugby match center or JRFU match page for the official result and scoring record. The final score can be added once an authoritative match record is published.