Atsuki Ito was born on 11 August 1998 in Urawa, Saitama, and unsurprisingly came through the youth setup of his hometown club Urawa Red Diamonds. A tall (185cm), powerful central midfielder, he broke into the Urawa first team and quickly became a leadership figure in their midfield. He won the Emperor's Cup in 2021, the Super Cup in 2022, and the AFC Champions League in 2022–23 — Urawa's third continental crown — playing through the Asian campaign.
In summer 2024 Ito made his European move, joining Belgium's KAA Gent. The transition was immediate: 33 Jupiler Pro League appearances in his debut season with 2 goals and a strong all-round contribution, plus 8 UEFA Europa Conference League matches. By 2025–26 he had stepped up further with 28 league appearances, 4 goals and 3 assists by mid-season, growing into one of Gent's most reliable central midfielders.
A combination of physical presence, distance shooting and clean two-footed distribution makes Ito an unusual midfield profile in the Japanese game. He combines defensive duties with goal-scoring instincts from arriving in the box, and is comfortable shifting between a single 6 and a box-to-box role.
Ito made his Japan A-team debut in 2023 and scored his first international goal in his early appearances. He continues to feature in Japan training camps and remains in the wider 2026 FIFA World Cup squad conversation as a versatile midfield option.