Hayato Araki was born on 7 August 1996 in Kadoma, Osaka, and rose to senior football through Sanfrecce Hiroshima's youth setup. A 186cm centre-back, he has been an established Sanfrecce starter for multiple seasons.
His 2024 season produced 27 J1 League matches with 3 goals; the 2025 season has been outstanding: 37 J1 matches with 3 goals and 2 assists, 9 AFC Champions League Elite matches with 2 goals, plus Super Cup honours. With Sanfrecce he won the 2022 J.League Cup and the 2025 Super Cup.
For Japan, Araki was a member of the EAFF E-1 Football Championship-winning sides in 2022 and 2025, scoring a goal at the 2025 tournament.
A 186cm two-footed centre-back with aerial dominance, ball-playing security and the goal-scoring instinct from set pieces, Araki has been a Japan call-up in the EAFF E-1 squads. He is a strong candidate for the wider 2026 FIFA World Cup squad as a Sanfrecce-based senior centre-back option.