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Most Improved defenders in J2 League 2026

The most improved defenders in J2 League in 2026, ranked on Field Insider.

Most improved goalkeepers in J2 LeagueMost improved midfielders in J2 LeagueMost improved attackers in J2 LeagueBest defenders in J2 LeagueMost in-form defenders in J2 LeagueTop-scoring defenders in J2 League

At a glance

H. Tanaka of Tokushima Vortis is the standout for raw talent across defenders in J2 League, with a Field Insider Rating of 55.7, and K. Minoda has been the form player this season, grading 43.9, and G. Egawa leads the scoring with 6 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: M. Ito has improved his Season rating most, up +20.8 on last season, while S. Matsumura's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +1 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, H. Tanaka of Tokushima Vortis is the most valuable name in this group at 11.5.

Best talent
H. Tanaka55.7RTG
Tokushima Vortis
In form
K. Minoda43.9SsN
Shonan Bellmare
Rising potential
S. Matsumura+1RTG
Shonan Bellmare · 24/25→25/26
Most improved
M. Ito+20.8SsN
Yokohama FC · 24/25→25/26
Top scorer
G. Egawa6goals
Tegevajaro Miyazaki
Most valuable
H. Tanaka11.5val
Tokushima Vortis
29 players · ranked by most improvedCustomise →
PlayerTeam
1M. ItoCentre-backYokohama FC33+20.8
24/25→25/26
32192.6%1714.8%
2A. FukumoriFull-backConsadole Sapporo33+12.4
23/24→25/26
2973.4%1738.1%
3K. TachiCentre-backShonan Bellmare28+11.5
24/25→25/26
121277.8%329.8%
4K. YamakoshiCentre-backTokushima Vortis33+10.9
24/25→25/26
15265.9%1234.1%
5S. MatsumuraCentre-backShonan Bellmare22+7.1
24/25→25/26
9443.7%442.3%
6Y. HorigomeCentre-backConsadole Sapporo31+3.6
24/25→25/26
1628.8%2224.4%
7R. OkuiCentre-backTochigi City36+3.3
21/22→25/26
1430.8%766%
8K. YamazakiCentre-backJubilo Iwata30+3.1
24/25→25/26
2912%3310.7%
9Danilo CardosoCentre-backJubilo Iwata29+2.4
22/23→25/26
758.5%2653.7%
10Y. HakamataCentre-backShonan Bellmare30+1.6
24/25→25/26
634%2325.5%
11R. EndoCentre-backIwaki28+0.6
24/25→25/26
514%2731.1%
12Matheus PereiraCentre-backOita Trinita29+0.1
21/22→25/26
71.4%2147.6%
13H. TeruyamaCentre-backTochigi City250
21/22→25/26
4±0%3815.2%
14T. AbeCentre-backMontedio Yamagata29-0.4
21/22→25/26
310.5%2343.4%
15Y. TakagiCentre-backTokushima Vortis28-0.9
21/22→25/26
126.8%2744.6%
16K. OhnoCentre-backShonan Bellmare37-1.5
24/25→25/26
914.7%647.5%
17F. HayakawaCentre-backAlbirex Niigata32-2
24/25→25/26
625%1635%
18M. JonjićCentre-backTochigi City35-3.9
24/25→25/26
1718.9%857%
19R. TakaoCentre-backConsadole Sapporo29-7.2
24/25→25/26
467.3%2339.8%
20K. MatsubaraCentre-backJubilo Iwata29-9.2
24/25→25/26
659.7%2348.3%
21M. FitzgeraldCentre-backAlbirex Niigata37-9.3
24/25→25/26
1636.6%1331.6%
22Y. SuzukiCentre-backShonan Bellmare32-10.5
24/25→25/26
2926.6%2426.9%
23K. IwatakeCentre-backYokohama FC30-11
23/24→25/26
1346.4%2345%
24Y. KoideCentre-backVentforet Kofu31-14.5
21/22→25/26
766.5%1563.9%
25R. NishioCentre-backOmiya Ardija25-16
24/25→25/26
1159.7%523%
26T. NakamuraCentre-backConsadole Sapporo26-16.1
24/25→25/26
386.6%3232.6%
27S. FujiwaraFull-backAlbirex Niigata30-17.1
24/25→25/26
2936.9%3126.6%
28K. FunakiCentre-backAlbirex Niigata28-18.7
24/25→25/26
871.4%3722.9%
29Ricardo GraçaCentre-backJubilo Iwata29-23.5
24/25→25/26
777%2246.7%