Kokushikan University senior Keiji Suzuki won his first national judo weight-category invitational crown Sunday with an ippon triumph over Takeshi Kozai -- and with world and Olympic champion Kosei Inoue on the sidelines with a hand injury.
"When I heard (two days ago) that Kosei would not be competing, I figured I had to win," the 21-year-old Suzuki said.
Suzuki, who won the French international tourney earlier this year, swept Kozai to his back in the final at Fukuoka Municipal Gymnasium for the championship.
Meanwhile, Yasuyuki Muneta and Meiji University teammate Yuta Yazaki won their first titles in the meet doubling as the national team trials for this summer's World Cup meet in Switzerland.
At 81 kg, Atlanta Olympic gold medalist Kenzo Nakamura won his fifth invitational crown with a decision over Masahiko Tomouchi.