Takuma Asano was born on 10 November 1994 in Komono, Mie. He came through Yokkaichi Chuo Kogyo High School and signed with Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2013. As an explosive teenager he won the J1 League title with Sanfrecce in 2013 and again in 2015, and was part of the squad that won the AFC U23 Asian Cup in 2015–16.
In summer 2016 Asano joined Arsenal in the Premier League for around €4 million. Unable to secure a UK work permit, he was loaned to Bundesliga clubs Stuttgart and Hannover 96, before moving permanently to FK Partizan in Serbia in 2019 and then to VfL Bochum in 2021. His four years at Bochum were highly productive, including 6 Bundesliga goals in 2022–23 — output that featured strongly in his country's plans heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In summer 2024 Asano joined Spanish La Liga side Mallorca on a free transfer. He has been a regular contributor since: 23 La Liga matches with 2 goals in 2024–25, then 17 league matches with 1 goal across the first half of 2025–26.
For Japan, Asano is unforgettable for his extraordinary winning goal against Germany in the group stage of the 2022 FIFA World Cup — a piece of brilliance that triggered Japan's famous tournament. He also scored 3 goals in 11 qualifiers and remains a frequent senior squad member, with international form including a goal in 2023 friendlies. A direct, two-footed, pace-driven forward, Asano is a likely member of Japan's 2026 World Cup squad as a versatile front-line option.