In 2024 Tanaka took a big step forward, reaching the world championship podium after beating Belgium’s Gabriella Willems for bronze. The Belgian judoka became an Olympic medallist only weeks later in Paris.
In Budapest in June of 2025, Tanaka stepped forward again, a huge step that saw her finish her competitive day on the top of the world championship podium. Schuster (SLO), Pina (POR) and Paris Olympic medallist Miriam Bukereit (GER) all lost their footing against her ahead of the semi-final and there she defeated strong Spanish opposition, Ai Tsunoda Roustant in a very long and challenging contest. Reaching the final was already a career-best result but the ultimate fight of the day still awaited her, a contest in which Croatia’s Lara Cvjetko would be energised to finally take gold having been in the shadow of teammate Barbara Matic for so long. Shiho Tanaka was ready for that final though, homework done and done well. She claimed the title, becoming -70 kg world champion.
“I’m really happy to win my first world title. I had a game plan for the final fight. I knew she would cross grip and I was ok to cross too. Like any fight, it doesn’t always go as planned and I couldn’t apply exactly what I had prepared so in the end it was just a matter of guts and I went for the osoto.” That osoto-gari in golden score was a moment of great judo feeling, an instinct which secured the best medal of her sporting life.
What has been key for you to be able to make the big step from third place in 2024 to first place in 2025?
“I always had difficulties with opponents on the same side so I really tried to work on these fights but I also worked on the mental aspect and being focused. I’ve gained more experience and I’m a better player than I was last year.”
Shiho Tanaka is a member of the Japan Rail company judo team, who only established their judo club relatively recently. “I am their first world championship finalist. Wakana Koga and Kisumi Omori are also with us. Tomoko Fukumi is our coach.” Tomoko Fukumi was world champion in 2009 and also won the Paris, Tokyo and Düsseldorf grand slams in her career, as well as the World Judo Masters.
Tanaka didn’t have much international experience as a junior, so her route to the senior level was not illustrious, nor was it expected. “Even when I was in junior high school at 15, I was never even able to qualify for the nationals. I come from Yamaguchi, in the countryside, so I didn’t imagine myself fighting internationally. I was also a freestyle wrestler and was competing in both judo and wrestling locally. I like wrestling a lot.” There is no doubt that a mixed background has contributed to Tanaka’s success.
“Since I was a child I really enjoyed competing and fighting with strong players; I took pleasure in that challenge. I looked up to the strong people around me and as I improved, those around me were stronger too and I wanted to be like them.
A judoka from my university is my biggest hero, Yasumatsu. I trained with her every day and she was so strong. It’s just a simple idea but she is who I look up to most.
If I had a message for other young judoka, I would say the most important thing is to love it. If you keep loving it, you will become a better judo athlete and a better person, so always do your best.”
Shiho Tanaka certainly did her best in Budapest and loved competing at the highest level. Now she a is a world champion and is still loving the judo life she lives, improving her judo and herself every day.