Takuto Inoue

Takuto Inoue (井上 拓斗, Inoue Takuto; born 26 February 1995) is a Japanese former badminton player from the BIPROGY (formerly Unisys).^[1][2] Primarily competing in men's doubles with Yuki Kaneko, Inoue reached a career-high ranking of world No. 7 on 12 July 2018. Together, they won a BWF Grand Prix Gold title at the 2017 U.S. Open and a BWF World Tour Super 300 title at the 2018 German Open. They also became the first Japanese men's doubles pair since 1982 to reach the final of their home tournament, the 2017 Japan Open Super Series, and were runners-up at the 2018 Indonesia Open Super 1000. In team competitions, Inoue earned silver medals at the 2018 Thomas Cup and the 2019 Asia Mixed Team Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games men's team event.

Takuto Inoue
Personal information
Country	Japan
Born	(1995-02-26) 26 February 1995 (age 30) Genkai, Saga, Japan
Height	1.628 m (5 ft 4 in)
Weight	58 kg (128 lb)
Retired	31 March 2024
Handedness	Right
Men's & mixed doubles
Highest ranking	7 (MD with Yuki Kaneko 12 July 2018) 182 (XD with Yuki Fukushima 12 February 2015)
Medal record Men's badminton Representing  Japan Thomas Cup 2018 Bangkok Men's team Asian Games 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Men's team Asia Mixed Team Championships 2019 Hong Kong Mixed team World Junior Championships 2012 Chiba Boys' doubles 2012 Chiba Mixed team Asian Junior Championships 2012 Gimcheon Mixed team 2013 Kota Kinabalu Mixed team
BWF profile

Career

Junior career

During his junior career, Inoue secured two silver medals at the 2012 World Junior Championships in Chiba: one in boys' doubles with Yuki Kaneko, finishing runners-up to Hong Kong's Lee Chun Hei and Ng Ka Long, and another in the mixed team event.^[3][4][5] In mixed team events, he also earned a gold medal at the 2012 Asian Junior Championships in Gimcheon and a bronze medal at the 2013 Asian Junior Championships in Kota Kinabalu.^[6]

Senior career

Takuto Inoue's senior career began in men's doubles, partnering with Yuki Kaneko. On the International Challenge circuit, Inoue secured his first senior international titles at the 2013 Romanian International, winning both men's singles and men's doubles with Kaneko.^[7] They also won the 2017 Austrian Open and were runners-up at the 2015 Osaka International.^[8][9]

In the BWF Grand Prix series, Inoue and Kaneko secured their first Grand Prix Gold title at the 2017 U.S. Open, defeating top-seeded Chinese Taipei pair Lu Ching-yao and Yang Po-han.^[10][11] They were also runners-up at the 2014 Russia Open, 2016 Thailand Open, 2017 China Masters, and 2017 Dutch Open.^{[12][13][14][15]} During the 2016 Thailand Open, they upset the top-seeded Malaysian pair Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong in the opening round.^[16]

On the BWF Super Series circuit, Inoue and Kaneko became the first Japanese men's doubles pair since 1982 to reach the final of their home tournament, the 2017 Japan Open. They defeated 2016 All England Open champions Vladimir Ivanov and Ivan Sozonov in the semifinals before finishing as runners-up to Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.^[17][18][19]

With the introduction of the BWF World Tour in 2018, Inoue and Kaneko won their first BWF World Tour title at the 2018 German Open Super 300 by defeating Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto.^[20][21] They were also runners-up at the 2018 Indonesia Open Super 1000, again losing to Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo.^[22][23] They achieved a career-high men's doubles ranking of world No. 7 on 12 July 2018.

In the later stages of his career, Inoue formed new men's doubles partnerships. With Kenya Mitsuhashi, he was a runner-up at the 2022 Canada Open and the 2022 Mongolia International.^[24][25][26] He also won the 2023 Malaysia International with Masayuki Onodera .^[27]

In team competitions, Inoue earned silver medals at the 2018 Thomas Cup and the 2019 Asia Mixed Team Championships, and a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games men's team event.^[28][29][30]

Takuto Inoue retired from his playing career on 31 March 2024, after a 11-year tenure with his team, BIPROGY (formerly Unisys).^[31]

Achievements

World Junior Championships

Boys' doubles

Year	Venue	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2012	Chiba Port Arena, Chiba, Japan	Yuki Kaneko	Lee Chun Hei Ng Ka Long	16–21, 17–21	Silver	[4][3]

BWF World Tour (1 title, 2 runners-up)

The BWF World Tour, which was announced on 19 March 2017 and implemented in 2018,^[32] is a series of elite badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF World Tour is divided into levels of World Tour Finals, Super 1000, Super 750, Super 500, Super 300 (part of the HSBC World Tour), and the BWF Tour Super 100.^[33]

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Level	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2018	German Open	Super 300	Yuki Kaneko	Fajar Alfian Muhammad Rian Ardianto	21–16, 21–18	Winner	[20][21]
2018	Indonesia Open	Super 1000	Yuki Kaneko	Marcus Fernaldi Gideon Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo	13–21, 16–21	Runner-up	[22][23]
2022	Canada Open	Super 100	Kenya Mitsuhashi	Ayato Endo Yuta Takei	15–21, 8–21	Runner-up	[24][25]

BWF Superseries (1 runner-up)

The BWF Superseries, which was launched on 14 December 2006 and implemented in 2007,^[34] was a series of elite badminton tournaments, sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). BWF Superseries levels were Superseries and Superseries Premier. A season of Superseries consisted of twelve tournaments around the world that had been introduced since 2011.^[35] Successful players were invited to the Superseries Finals, which were held at the end of each year.

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2017	Japan Open	Yuki Kaneko	Marcus Fernaldi Gideon Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo	12–21, 15–21	Runner-up	[18][19]

  BWF Superseries tournament

BWF Grand Prix (1 title, 4 runners-up)

The BWF Grand Prix had two levels, the Grand Prix and Grand Prix Gold. It was a series of badminton tournaments sanctioned by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and played between 2007 and 2017.

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2014	Russian Open	Yuki Kaneko	Kenta Kazuno Kazushi Yamada	21–19, 20–22, 13–21	Runner-up	[12]
2016	Thailand Open	Yuki Kaneko	Berry Angriawan Rian Agung Saputro	21–17, 14–21, 18–21	Runner-up	[13]
2017	China Masters	Yuki Kaneko	Chen Hung-ling Wang Chi-lin	14–21, 6–21	Runner-up	[14]
2017	U.S. Open	Yuki Kaneko	Lu Ching-yao Yang Po-han	15–21, 21–13, 21–13	Winner	[10][11]
2017	Dutch Open	Yuki Kaneko	Liao Min-chun Su Cheng-heng	22–24, 18–21	Runner-up	[15]

  BWF Grand Prix Gold tournament

  BWF Grand Prix tournament

BWF International Challenge/Series (4 titles, 3 runners-up)

Men's singles

Year	Tournament	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2013	Romanian International	Lucas Corvée	10–21, 21–17, 21–15	Winner	[7]

Men's doubles

Year	Tournament	Partner	Opponent	Score	Result	Ref
2013	Romanian International	Yuki Kaneko	Quentin Vincent Sébastien Vincent	21–10, 21–10	Winner	[7]
2015	Osaka International	Yuki Kaneko	Kenta Kazuno Kazushi Yamada	9–21, 19–21	Runner-up	[9]
2017	Austrian Open	Yuki Kaneko	Frederik Colberg Rasmus Fladberg	21–19, 21–17	Winner	[8]
2022	Réunion Open	Kenya Mitsuhashi	Shuntaro Mezaki Haruya Nishida	21–16, 18–21, 10–21	Runner-up	[36]
2022	Mongolia International	Kenya Mitsuhashi	Ayato Endo Yuta Takei	14–21, 21–12, 19–21	Runner-up	[26]
2023	Malaysia International	Masayuki Onodera	Fazriq Razif Wong Vin Sean	21–16, 18–21, 21–15	Winner	[27]

  BWF International Challenge tournament

  BWF International Series tournament