| Akihito Yamada | |
| Birth Date: | 26 July 1985 |
| Birth Place: | Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Height: | 1.81 m |
| Weight: | 900NaN0 |
| School: | Kokura High School |
| University: | Keio University |
| Position: | Wing |
| Currentclub: | Seattle Seawolves of the MLR |
| Years1: | 2010–2019 |
| Clubs1: | Panasonic Wild Knights |
| Apps1: | 115 |
| Points1: | 475 |
| Years2: | 2015 |
| Apps2: | 0 |
| Points2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2016–2019 |
| Apps3: | 16 |
| Points3: | 55 |
| Years4: | 2020– |
| Apps4: | 5 |
| Points4: | 5 |
| Repyears1: | 2013–2018 |
| Repcaps1: | 25 |
| Reppoints1: | 95 |
| Clubupdate: | 21 February 2021 |
| Repupdate: | 21 February 2021 |
| Ru Sevensnationalyears1: | 2016 |
| Ru Sevensnationalteam1: | Japan Sevens |
| Ru Sevensnationalcomp1: | 1 |
| Ru Sevensupdate: | 21 February 2021 |
is a Japanese rugby union player who plays as a winger.[1] [2] He also plays for Top League side the Panasonic Wild Knights in his home country.[3] [4]
Yamada has been a prolific try-scorer for the Wild Knights in Japan's Top 14 competition since making his debut during the 2010-11 season. He enjoyed a stand-out year in 2012-13 scoring 20 tries in 14 games to be the league's top scorer.[4]
Ahead of the admission of a Japanese franchise into Super Rugby, Australian sides were permitted to contract one Japanese player per season to aid their development. And so it was that the Perth-based Western Force signed Yamada to a one-year contract ahead of the 2015 Super Rugby season.[1]
Yamada made his debut for Japan on 15 November 2013 in a 40-13 victory over in Colwyn Bay, Wales.[5] To date he has scored 8 tries in 10 international matches.[3]