2022

After the World Cup in Germany in May, he dropped out of the top-16 ranked fencers for the first time in seven seasons. Drawing on his experience as a former world number one and Olympic gold medallist, he went on to win individual silver at the World Championships in July — the first individual medal at the World Championships for Japanese men’s épée. Carrying that momentum into the team event, he also won bronze — Japanese men’s épée’s first-ever team medal at the World Championships.