“I am Rui Takahashi of Suntory Sunbirds Osaka.
Since I was young, I was afraid to face a certain side of myself, struggled with it, and denied myself.
That is, that I am gay and one of the sexual minorities.
Spending about two years on the same team as my younger brother, Ran Takahashi, was the biggest thing for me, and after talking with Ran, I was able to accept myself for the first time.
By putting my feelings into words, I was able to put my mind in order, and little by little, I came to feel that ‘it is okay to be myself as I am.’
The reason I have been able to face myself this much is because of the existence of my family, teammates, team staff, and everyone involved who have supported me by my side up until now, including the time I spent with Ran.
I am sincerely grateful for the support you have given me in various situations up until now.
As we enter a new season, I also wanted to tell the fans who always support me, in my own words, at this time.
From now on as well, nothing will change about my commitment to volleyball and my efforts to grow myself in various situations.
And even though the reasons and circumstances may be different, for those who are struggling because they cannot accept themselves, I would be happy if my confronting myself and telling this in my own words can become even a small trigger for something.
I apologize for making this announcement so suddenly, but thank you for reading until the end.
I am sincerely grateful for all the support I have received from so many people, including the fans, up until now.
From now on as well, I want to continue growing through volleyball, in the way that is true to Rui Takahashi.”
2026.9.29
Rui Takahashi
