Watch: Japanese volleyball player's sliding apology to female judge

A video of a 26-year-old Japanese volleyball player sliding on a court to apologies to a female judge after his serve hit her has gone viral.

The 1.87-meter-tall opposite hitter has gone viral on social media for demonstrating a heartfelt apology.

He was competing in a halftime serving challenge at a volleyball all-star event in Kobe, western Japan, when his left-handed serve went wide and hit a female judge squarely in the back, leaving him visibly horrified.

Nishida went sliding towards the female judge to apologise. People are appreciating the gesture of the player.

Nishida reacted immediately and in a unique way. He bowed his head in apology and slid across the court on his stomach. He then knelt down and repeatedly bowed, offering further apologies, which the woman reciprocated with a bow of her own.

Meanwhile, Nishida guided his team to a dominant 3–0 victory and claimed the tournament’s MVP award, as reported by AbemaTV.

A video of the 26-year-old’s unusual apology has since gone viral, racking up more than 8.5 million views on X in under 24 hours and winning over social media users worldwide.

The post was captioned, “Japanese volleyball player makes the most genuine apology after accidentally hitting someone with his serve.”

Social media users were quick to praise the gesture. One commenter wrote, “The Japanese do not play with their apologies—so humble and respectful.”