Haruka Kaju (JPN) is a remarkable player in many respects. She came out of nowhere and won the 2024 Tokyo Grand Slam, defeating top Japanese teammates in the semifinal and final. She then went on to win the 2025 Paris Grand Slam, the 2025 Asian Championships, and the 2025 World Championships, all in her first year competing internationally.
Kaju has remained unbeaten until now. What’s interesting about her judo is that although she can throw, and occasionally does, her tokui-waza is a newaza turnover that she does over and over again. Everybody knows what she’s going to do but nobody can stop it.
What’s also amazing is that she has literally beaten every single player in the IJF’s -63kg World Ranking’s List.
Kaju is of course the No. 1 on the list.
At No. 2 is Enkhriilen Lkhagvatogoo (MGL). Kaju has beaten her twice. The first time was in the final of the 2025 Asian Championships, and recently, she beat her again at the 2026 Tbilisi Grand Slam.
Coming in at No. 3 is Rafaela Silva (BRA) who is making quite a successful comeback. But she too has fought and lost to Kaju. It was in the semifinal of the 2025 Guadalajara Grand Prix.
The World No. 4 is another Mongolian, Gankhaich Bold. She lost to Kaju in the quarterfinal of the 2025 World Championships.
At No. 5 is Joanne Van Lieshout (NED). They have fought twice. Kaju beat Van Lieshout in the semifinal of the 2025 Paris Grand Slam and in the final of the 2026 Tbilisi Grand Slam.
The World No. 6 is Canada’s Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard. She lost to Kaju in the final of the 2025 World Championships.
The No. 7 player is Iva Oberan (CRO). She lost to Kaju in the preliminary rounds of the 2025 World Championships.
At No. 8, we have Manon Deketer (FRA). She lost to Kaju in the final of the 2025 Paris Grand Slam.
Jessica Klimkait (CAN) is the World No. 9. She lost to Kaju in the final of the Guadalajara Grand Prix.
Lastly, coming in at No. 10 is Kaju’s compatriot Kirari Yamaguchi. It’s not clear how many times they have fought domestically but in the IJF World Tour, they met in the final of the 2025 Tokyo Grand Slam. Kaju won.
Having beaten literally everyone in the Top 10 list, Kaju looks to be invincible. But can the person to beat her be someone outside the Top 10? For example, World No. 37, Clarisse Agbegnenou (FRA)? An "Agbegnenou vs Kaju" match-up would be something many judo players would want to see. It would truly be a test of just how invincible Kaju really is.
