[2][3] Yamada’s father is a former football player who played for Mazda SC and the Japan U-20 national team.

In August 2007, Yamada was selected for the Japan U-17 national team competing at the 2007 U-17 World Cup.

Yamada made his senior national team debut on 27 May 2009, in a friendly match against Chile at Nagai Stadium in Osaka and assisted on a goal by Keisuke Honda.

On 6 January 2010 during the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualification match between Yemen and Japan, Yamada was forced to go out after 21 minutes after his right leg was exposed to a violent break after a challenge from Yemeni defender Ahmed Sadeq.

[6] On 20 March 2012, Yamada suffered yet another injury with a break in the anterior cruciate ligament in a match between the Urawa Reds and Vegalta Sendai in the 2012 J.