page_title: List of Japanese boxing world champions
hierarchical_section_title: List of Japanese boxing world champions
caption_attribution_description: English: Yoshio Shirai in World flyweight titlematch in May 1952. 日本語: 白井義男（映画「世界選手権を賭けて」（1952年大映）より）
context_page_description: This is a list of Japanese boxing world champions who have won major world titles from the "Big four" governing bodies in professional boxing namely the World Boxing Association, World Boxing Council, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Organization.
  It was in 1952 that Yoshio Shirai won the world flyweight crown, becoming the first Japanese world champion. Since then, Japan has produced 84 world champions to date. Japan ranks third worldwide between countries with most boxing world champions.
  The most thriving period of Japan's boxing ran from the 1960s to the early 1970s. In the "golden 60s," Fighting Harada won championships in two divisions—flyweight and bantamweight. In the 1970s, Japan had 5 world champions for a short period at the same time. Notable achievements in that period were Kuniaki Shibata's attainment of 3 world championships in two divisions, Guts Ishimatsu captured the WBC lightweight championship becoming the first Japanese champion in the lightweight division.
context_section_description: This is a list of Japanese boxing world champions who have won major world titles from the "Big four" governing bodies in professional boxing namely the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), International Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organization (WBO).
  It was in 1952 that Yoshio Shirai won the world flyweight crown, becoming the first Japanese world champion. Since then, Japan has produced 84 world champions to date. Japan ranks third worldwide between countries with most boxing world champions.
  The most thriving period of Japan's boxing ran from the 1960s to the early 1970s. In the "golden 60s," Fighting Harada won championships in two divisions—flyweight and bantamweight. In the 1970s, Japan had 5 world champions for a short period at the same time. Notable achievements in that period were Kuniaki Shibata's attainment of 3 world championships in two divisions, Guts Ishimatsu captured the WBC lightweight championship becoming the first Japanese champion in the lightweight division. Koichi Wajima, one of the most popular boxers in Japan for his peculiar "Frog Jump" uppercut punch, also left a big footstep in Japan's boxing history by winning junior middleweight championship 3 times including 6 consecutive title defenses.
caption: Yoshio Shirai was crowned Japan's first world champion in 1952.
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