Kanji Okunuki was born on 11 August 1999 in Tochigi. He came through Omiya Ardija's youth ranks before being loaned to Górnik Zabrze in Poland in summer 2022 and then to 1. FC Nürnberg in Germany. With Nürnberg in 2023, he played 30 2. Bundesliga matches with 3 goals and 2 assists. In January 2025 he moved to Gamba Osaka.
His Gamba career has been productive. The 2025 J1 season has produced 12 J1 League matches with a goal and an assist, plus 8 AFC Champions League Two appearances.
A 171cm two-footed left-sided attacker / wide midfielder with elite acceleration and the technical security of a multi-league international, Okunuki has been a Japan call-up since 2024 and is a candidate for the wider 2026 FIFA World Cup squad as a wide attacking depth option.