Sota Kawasaki: Who is Mainz's tireless midfielder?
Get the lowdown on Mainz midfielder Sota Kawasaki, who joined the club on loan last summer but has now signed permanent terms with the Zerofivers.
Data correct as of 27 March 2026
Sota Kawasaki
Age: 24 (born 30 July 2001)
Club: Mainz
Position: Midfield
Country: Japan (nine U23 caps)
Key stats
Kawasaki arrived in the Bundesliga from Kyoto Sanga, the only team he represented professionally in his homeland, having amassed 179 appearances in all competitions for the club and captaining them from the 2022/23 season onwards.
Kawasaki's quick rise to first-team regular in the J. League naturally led to national recognition, and he made his U21 debut for Japan in a 1-1 draw against Italy in September 2022. Kawasaki is yet to make his senior bow for his country, but he has gone close on more than one occasion.
He was an unused substitute in friendlies against El Salvador and Peru in 2023, and passed up the opportunity to partake in the 2025 East Asian Championships in order to finalise his move to Mainz. He did represent Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics, though, appearing in victories over Paraguay, Mali and Israel before his side fell to Spain in the quarter-finals.
A muscle injury in early 2026 restricted his opportunities under new Mainz head coach Urs Fischer, but he has still featured regularly for the Zerofivers in the Bundesliga and UEFA Conference League, scoring his debut goal for the club in a 1-1 draw with Lech Poznań in December.
Plays a bit like: Kevin Kampl
Like former Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig midfielder Kampl, Kawasaki is a brilliant blend of non-stop running, intelligence and technical proficiency. Intent on defending from the front, he is always looking to sniff out danger at the earliest opportunity. On the ball, he is able to channel his boundless energy into precise passes that get his team moving further up the pitch.
Did you know?
When Kawasaki made his debut for Japan U21s, Freiburg's Yuito Suzuki and St. Pauli's Joel Chima Fujita were also in the starting line-up, with the latter captaining the side.
What they’re saying
"Sota Kawasaki feels at home in Mainz and sees his future here with us. From our perspective, Sota has undergone a strong development in his first season here. We're fully convinced of his qualities and believe that, as a young player, he will continue to progress." - Christian Heidel, Mainz's board member for sport.
"Sota Kawasaki is a very versatile player. He brings technique, two-footedness and strong running. What immediately caught our eye was his love of attacking his opponents high and tirelessly - that fits perfectly with our game." - Niko Bungert, Mainz sporting director, in summer 2025
"I followed Mainz last season and watched their games. I really like their attacking style of play and aggression." - Sota Kawasaki on his arrival in the Bundesliga
Related news
The Japanese stars of 2025/26
How are the likes of Ritsu Dōan, Hiroki Ito and Shūto Machino faring in the Bundesliga this season?
Who's in trouble at the bottom?
Keep an eye on which teams are in danger of dropping down to Bundesliga 2.
Vote for March's Player of the Month!
Deniz Undav, Paul Nebel, Yan Diomande, Hannes Behrens, Konstantinos Koulierakis and Igor Matanović are all in the running for this month's award.