Japan Open: Full list of all winners

None of the Indian shuttlers have won a title so far

Japan Open is one of the five BWF Super 750 events in the BWF World Tour calendar year. Hosted in five different cities of the island nation, the tournament has drawn the top players of the circuit, ever since it began in 1977. The 2023 edition of the tournament begins on 25 July 2023, and the finals will be played on 30 July 2023. 

Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo has been selected as the venue for the event. The competition has a total prize money of $850,000, with the singles winners bagging $59,500 each and the doubles winners pocketing $62,900. Natives Kenta Nishimoto and Akane Yamaguchi are the defending champions in the singles.

Europeans once were regular winners of the tournament. However, the East Asians and South East Asians have dominated the tournament. Traditionally, like for most other BWF events, Chinese players have dominated the tournament with a total of 75 titles. Indonesians are the next best with 31 titles, and South Korea follow the doubles specialists nation with 29 titles. 

Below is the list of all the winners of the Japan Open:

Men's Singles

1977 - Thomas Kihlstrom (Sweden)

1981 - Rudy Hartono (Indonesia)

1982 - Thomas Kihlstrom (Sweden)

1983 - Han Jian (China)

1984 - Morten Frost (Denmark)

1985 - Zhao Jianhua (China)

1986 - Yang Yang (China)

1987 - Xiong Guobao (China)

1988 - Nick Yates (England)

1989 - Yang Yang (China)

1990 - Morten Frost (Denmark)

1991 - Ardy Wiranata (Indonesia)

1992 - Ardy Wiranata (Indonesia)

1993 - Hariyanto Arbi (Indonesia)

1994 - Ardy Wiranata (Indonesia)

1995 - Hariyanto Arbi (Indonesia)

1996 - Joko Suprianto (Indonesia)

1997 - Peter Rasmussen (Denmark)

1998 - Peter Gade (Denmark)

1999 - Peter Gade (Denmark)

2000 - Ji Xinpeng (China)

2001 - Roslin Hashim (Malaysia)

2002 - Lee Hyun-il (South Korea)

2003 - Xia Xuanze (China)

2004 - Ronald Susilo (Singapore)

2005 - Lin Dan (China)

2006 - Lin Dan (China)

2007 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2008 - Sony Dwi Kuncoro (Indonesia)

2009 - Bao Chunlai (China)

2010 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2011 - Chen Long (China)

2012 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2013 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2014 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2015 - Lin Dan (China)

2016 - Lee Chong Wei (Malaysia)

2017 - Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)

2018 - Kento Momota (Japan)

2019 - Kento Momota (Japan)

2022 - Kenta Nishimoto (Japan)

2023 - Viktor Axelsen (Denmark)

Women's Singles

1977 - Lene Koppen (Denmark)

1981 - Hwang Sun-ai (South Korea)

1982 - Li Lingwei (China)

1983 - Han Aiping (China)

1984 - Zheng Yuli (China)

1985 - Wu Jianqiu (China)

1986 - Li Lingwei (China)

1987 - Li Lingwei (China)

1988 - Han Aiping (China)

1989 - Li Lingwei (China)

1990 - Huang Hua (China)

1991 - Huang Hua (China)

1992 - Susi Susanti (Indonesia)

1993 - Ye Zhaoying (China)

1994 - Susi Susanti (Indonesia)

1995 - Susi Susanti (Indonesia)

1996 - Ye Zhaoying (China)

1997 - Mia Audina (Indonesia)

1998 - Gong Zhichao (China)

1999 - Ye Zhaoying (China)

2000 - Gong Zhichao (China)

2001 - Zhou Mi (China)

2002 - Zhou Mi (China)

2003 - Camilla Martin (Denmark)

2004 - Mia Audina (Netherlands)

2005 - Zhang Ning (China)

2006 - Zhang Ning (China)

2007 - Tine Rasmussen (Denmark)

2008 - Wang Yihan (China)

2009 - Wang Yihan (China)

2010 - Jiang Yanjiao (China)

2011 - Wang Yihan (China)

2012 - Tai Tzu-ying (Chinese Taipei)

2013 - Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)

2014 - Li Xuerui (China)

2015 - Nozomi Okuhara (Japan)

2016 - He Bingjiao (China)

2017 - Carolina Marin (Spain)

2018 - Carolina Marin (Spain)

2019 - Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)

2022 - Akane Yamaguchi (Japan)

2023 - An Se Young (Korea)

Men's Doubles

1977 - Flemming Delfs/Steen Skovgaard (Denmark)

1981 - Christian Hadinata/Lius Pongoh (Indonesia)

1982 - Rudy Heryanto/Hariamanto Kartono (Indonesia)

1983 - Stefan Karlsson/Thomas Kihlstrom (Sweden)

1984 - Stefan Karlsson/Thomas Kihlstrom (Sweden)

1985 - Kim Moon-soo/Park Joo-bong (South Korea)

1986 - Jalani Sidek/Razif Sidek (Malaysia)

1987 - Eddy Hartono/Liem Swie King (Indonesia)

1988 - Li Yongbo/Tian Bingyi (China)

1989 - Lee Sang-bok/Park Joo-bong (South Korea)

1990 - Kim Moon-soo/Park Joo-bong (South Korea)

1991 - Kim Moon-soo/Park Joo-bong (South Korea)

1992 - Chen Hongyong/Chen Kang (China)

1993 - Chen Hongyong/Chen Kang (China)

1994 - Denny Kantono/Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)

1995 - Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)

1996 - Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)

1997 - Rexy Mainaky/Ricky Subagja (Indonesia)

1998 - Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock (Malaysia)

1999 - Ha Tae-kwon/Kim Dong-moon (South Korea)

2000 - Tony Gunawan/Candra Wijaya (Indonesia)

2001 - Sigit Budiarto/Cadra Wijaya (Indonesia)

2002 - Chan Chong Ming/Chew Choon Eng (Malaysia)

2003 - Eng Hian/Flandy Limpele (England)

2004 - Ha Tae-kwon/Kim Dong-moon (South Korea)

2005 - Jens Eriksen/Martin Lundgaard Hansen (Denmark)

2006 - Tony Gunawan (USA)/Candra Wijaya (Indonesia)

2007 - Tony Gunawan (USA)/Candra Wijaya (Indonesia)

2008 - Lars Paaske/Jonas Rasmussen (Denmark)

2009 - Markis Kido/Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia)

2010 - Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng (China)

2011 - Cai Yun/Fu Haifeng (China)

2012 - Kim Gi-jung/Kim Sa-rang (South Korea)

2013 - Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (Indonesia)

2014 - Lee Yong-dae/Yoo Yeon-seong (South Korea)

2015 - Lee Yong-dae/Yoo Yeon-seong (South Korea)

2016 - Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (China)

2017 - Marcus Gideon/Kevin Sukamuljo (Indonesia)

2018 - Marcus Gideon/Kevin Sukamuljo (Indonesia)

2019 - Marcus Gideon/Kevin Sukamuljo (Indonesia)

2022 - Liang Weikeng/Wang Chang (China)

2023 - Lee Yang/Wang Chi-Lin (Taipei)

Women's Doubles

1977 - Inge Borgstrom/Lene Koppen (Denmark)

1981 - Atsuko Tokuda/Yoshiko Yonekura (Japan)

1982 - Nora Perry/Jane Webster (England)

1983 - Gillian Clark/Gillian Gilks (England)

1984 - Karen Beckman/Gillian Gilks (England)

1985 - Kim Yun-ja/Yoo Sang-hee (South Korea)

1986 - Lin Ying/Wu Dixi (China)

1987 - Guan Weizhen/Lin Ying (China)

1988 - Chung Myung-hee/Chung So-young (South Korea)

1989 - Gillian Clark/Julie Munday (England)

1990 - Lai Caiqin/Yao Fen (China)

1991 - Gillian Clark/Gillian Gowers (England)

1992 - Chung So-young/Hwang Hye-young (South Korea)

1993 - Chung So-young/Gil Young-ah (South Korea)

1994 - Chung So-young/Gil Young-ah (South Korea)

1995 - Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China)

1996 - Gil Young-ah/Jang Hye-ock (South Korea)

1997 - Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China)

1998 - Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China)

1999 - Ge Fei/Gu Jun (China)

2000 - Huang Nanyan/Yang Wei (China)

2001 - Gao Ling/Huang Sui (China)

2002 - Lee Kyung-won/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)

2003 - Gao Ling/Huang Sui (China)

2004 - Lee Kyung-won/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)

2005 - Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen (China)

2006 - Gao Ling/Huang Sui (China)

2007 - Yang Wei/Zhang Jiewen (China)

2008 - Cheng Shu/Zhao Yunlei (China)

2009 - Ma Jin/Wang Xiaoli (China)

2010 - Wang Xiaoli/Yu Yang (China)

2011 - Bao Yixin/Zhong Qianxin (China)

2012 - Poon Lok Yan/Tse Ying Suet (Hong Kong)

2013 - Ma Jin/Tang Jinhua (China)

2014 - Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)

2015 - Zhao Yunlei/Zhong Qianxin (China)

2016 - Christinna Pedersen/Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Denmark)

2017 - Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (Japan)

2018 - Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (Japan)

2019 - Kim So-yeong/Kong Hee-yong (South Korea)

2022 - Jeong Na-eun/Kim Hye-jeong (South Korea)

2023 - Kim So Yeong/Kong Hee Yong (South Korea)

Mixed Doubles

1982 - Mike Tredgett/Nora Perry (England)

1983 - Thomas Kihlstrom (Sweden)/Nora Perry (England)

1984 - Martin Dew/Gillian Gilks (England)

1985 - Billy Gillilan (Scotland)/Gillian Gowers (England)

1986 - Billy Gillilan (Scotland)/Nora Perry (England)

1987 - Lee Deuk-choon/Chung Myung-hee (South Korea)

1988 - Park Joo-bong/Chung Myung-hee (South Korea)

1989 - Park Joo-bong/Chung Myung-hee (South Korea)

1990 - Park Joo-bong/Chung Myung-hee (South Korea)

1991 - Park Joo-bong/Chung Myung-hee (South Korea)

1992 - Thomas Lund/Pernille Dupont (Denmark)

1993 - Thomas Lund (Denmark)/Catrine Bengtsson (Sweden)

1994 - Jon Holst-Christensen/Catrine Bengtsson (Sweden)

1995 - Thomas Lund/Marlene Thomsen (Denmark)

1996 - Park Joo-bong/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)

1997 - Liu Yong/Ge Fei (China)

1998 - Kim Dong-moon/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)

1999 - Liu Yong/Ge Fei (China)

2000 - Liu Yong/Ge Fei (China)

2001 - Bambang Suprianto/Minarti Timur (Indonesia)

2002 - Kim Dong-moon/Ra Kyung-min (South Korea)

2003 - Zhang Jun/Gao Ling (China)

2004 - Nova Widianto/Vita Marissa (Indonesia)

2005 - Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thungthongkam (Thailand)

2006 - Flandy Limpele/Vita Marissa (Indonesia)

2007 - Zheng Bo/Gao Ling (China)

2008 - Muhammad Rijal/Vita Marissa (Indonesia)

2009 - Songphon Anugritayawon/Kunchala Vorabichitchaikul (Thailand)

2010 - Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (China)

2011 - Chen Hung-ling/Cheng Wen-hsing (Chinese Taipei)

2012 - Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying (Malaysia)

2013 - Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (China)

2014 - Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei (China)

2015 - Joachim Fischer Nielsen/Chirstinna Pedersen (Denmark)

2016 - Zheng Siwei/Chen Qingchen (China)

2017 - Wang Yilyu/Huang Dongping (China)

2018 - Zheng Siwei/Huang Yaqiong (China)

2019 - Wang Yilyu/Huang Dongping (China)

2022 - Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (Thailand)

2023 - Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino (Japan)