A former Japanese international football player has been met with an outpouring of support after publicly coming out as a trans man and sharing news of his marriage.

Marumi Yamazaki, 35, marked New Year’s Day by posting a heartfelt message on Instagram alongside photographs of himself and his wife, whom he described as a “really wonderful woman”. In the post, Yamazaki revealed that he has legally changed his gender to male and married his partner, explaining that both milestones had been long-held dreams.

“I’ve mustered the courage to announce this to everyone,” he wrote. “This happened a while ago, but I have changed my gender on my family register to male and married a really wonderful woman. The main reason I retired from football was to make this dream come true.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Yamazaki Marumi　山崎円美 (@marusta.69)

Born in Saitama, Yamazaki represented Japan at senior level in 2013, earning four caps during the Algarve Cup. At the time, he was playing club football in the Nadeshiko League, then the country’s top women’s division, with Albirex Niigata. His domestic career also included spells at AC Nagano Parceiro, JEF United Chiba and Omiya Ardija Ventus, the latter coinciding with the launch of the fully professional WE League.

Yamazaki retired from professional football in the summer of 2023 and has since worked in coaching and media, while also playing futsal. He had remained largely silent on social media for over a year before making his announcement at the start of 2026.

In his post, Yamazaki reflected on the timing of his decision. He explained that legally changing gender in Japan requires extensive medical treatment, as well as meeting strict legal conditions. “Considering my age and that of my partner, I felt now was the only timing,” he wrote.

Although he had not originally planned to go public, Yamazaki said that after a year of privately coming out to people he knew, he decided to share his story more widely. He acknowledged that attitudes remain mixed, but expressed hope that his openness might help others. “I hope I can broaden someone’s values, be a guide for someone, or give someone courage and hope,” he said.

Messages of congratulations for the trans football player quickly followed, including from former teammates and Japanese football legends Karina Maruyama and Aya Samejima, members of the 2011 Women’s World Cup-winning squad.

Yamazaki joins a small but growing number of elite trans athletes, adding an important and visible voice to ongoing conversations about gender identity and inclusion in sport.