Overview

• Judges announced the victory on September 27 in Besançon after the 59th edition’s final round.
• Yoneda advanced from a field of 20 main-stage contestants that included three from Japan.
• He conducted three test pieces in the final, including a newly commissioned work, drawing strong applause for precise gestures and dynamic movement.
• The win marks the first by a Japanese conductor since Nodoka Okisawa in 2019 and is the 11th for Japan at the competition.
• Okayama-born and based in Matsudo, the 29-year-old reacted with surprise at the ceremony and said the demanding week made the result especially gratifying.