JRFU Raises Concerns About Asia Rugby Leadership – Kensuke Iwabuchi Resigns As Vice President of Asia Rugby

While the World Rugby Council was meeting in Dublin, Ireland, the JRFU stated its ongoing concerns about the current management structure of Asia Rugby under President Qais Al Dhalai and said that Kensuke Iwabuchi is leaving his role as Vice President of Asia Rugby.

The feud between the Asia Rugby President and the Japan Rugby Football Union is well documented after Qais Al Dhalai wrongfully suspended JRFU Association’s Executive Director, Kensuke Iwabuchi, from his position as Vice President of Asia Rugby in February 2025, ignoring due process and bypassing protocols to announce the Asia Rugby social media platforms.

It was another chapter in a long series of perceived abuses of power by the Asia Rugby President, who also holds senior roles with UAERF and is the President of the Arab Rugby Federation.

On Monday, December 1, 2025, World Rugby informed all Asia Rugby member unions of its decision to suspend Asia Rugby from the World Rugby Council after its own investigations, which have impacted unions in the region financially and caused a rift.

Following the combined Ernst & Young Audit and the latest Asia Rugby Oversight Committee (OC) Report findings, the review by a World Rugby Disciplinary Officer (DDO) in April 2025 concluded that Mr Iwabuchi had not breached any Asia Rugby or World Rugby rules.

Mr Kensuke Iwabuchi was reinstated to Asia Rugby’s EXCO in April 2026. No apology has ever been provided by the Asia Rugby President as requested.

As we reported previously from the reports:

• Asia Rugby President confirmed that the decision to issue a press release on the suspension of Mr Iwabuchi was made by him together with the Asia Rugby CEO. The AR ExCo was not consulted on this decision.
• The “suspension” was unconstitutional.
• Asia Rugby’s process was not adhered to.
• Mr Iwabuchi continued to be excluded from taking part in the activities of his office, to which he was legitimately elected.

A segment from the OC report on this matter said: “Asia Rugby’s continued exclusion of Mr Iwabuchi without a clear basis poses a threat to the legitimacy of all of its actions and the standing of Asia Rugby’s decision-making bodies within the wider rugby community…..these events have caused disquiet and an erosion of trust amongst member unions”

Photo Credit – The Japan Times

What Has the JRFU Said About Asia Rugby

The Japan Rugby Football Union said on June 17, 2026, it has “determined that it is difficult to trust the current management structure of Asia Rugby (President: Qais Al Dhalai), and that it is impossible for the Union’s Executive Director, Kensuke Iwabuchi, to continue in his position as Vice President of Asia Rugby.

The Union expresses its concerns about the management structure of Asia Rugby and supports Mr Iwabuchi’s resignation from his position as Vice President of Asia Rugby.

Regardless of this statement, the JRFU will continue to dedicate itself to the development of rugby in the Asian region, continue to support and cooperate with rugby associations throughout Asia, and fulfil its responsibilities as a founding member of Asia Rugby.”

It added, “Our association takes very seriously the fact that Asia Rugby made an unjust decision without proper organisational procedures, made a public announcement that was inaccurate, and that this announcement was misleading and damaged the reputation of the Executive Director.

We have been demanding that Asia Rugby acknowledge its error and apologise to the Executive Director. However, to date, we have seen no improvement in Asia Rugby’s response, and no apology has been made to the Executive Director, which is why we have made this statement.

Masato Tsuchida, President of the JRFU, said: “The actions taken by Asia Rugby on February 24th of last year are completely unacceptable. Executive Director Iwabuchi’s significant contributions to the development of Asia Rugby and his leadership are recognised by the world of rugby, and our association will continue to promote the internationalisation of Asian rugby and strive for its development.”

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