Initially sponsored as the Canterbury Japan International Sevens by sportswear manufacturer Canterbury of New Zealand, the national teams from Fiji and New Zealand were the finalists on all five occasions, with Fiji winning the first three cups and New Zealand the next two.

A further cup win each to Fiji and New Zealand, respectively, was recorded in those two years.

A decade passed before Tokyo was included in the World Sevens Series again, hosting four events from 2012 to 2015.

A preparatory international sevens tournament had been planned for Tokyo in 2011 but this had to be cancelled due to the earthquake and tsunami aftermath that year.

[3] Key: Blue border on the left indicates tournaments included in the World Rugby Sevens Series.