Yuji might have just set the world record for the longest and most heartfelt apology the internet has ever seen.

The viral video shows volleyballer Yuji Nishida turning an on-court mishap into the ultimate Japanese apology. After accidentally striking a judge with a powerful serve, the 26-year-old opposite hitter breaks into a sprint before dropping into a belly-first slide to apologize and check on his unintended target.

The entire stadium watches as Yuji zooms across the court in a dramatic penguin slide, a common defensive drill in volleyball. He comes to a stop face down in full dogeza, the most extreme form of Japanese bowing, directly in front of the worker. The moment is so sudden and sincere that she appears just as surprised as anyone else watching a man glide toward her at full speed.

Among the many types of bows in Japanese culture, dogeza is the most serious. Performed by kneeling and lowering the head fully to the floor, it conveys deep apology or respect. Nishida takes it even further, completing the bow while still sliding across the court, turning formality into something almost cinematic.

Thankfully unharmed, the staff member smiles and bows back, signaling that she is okay and acknowledging his apology. When Nishida sits up, he isn’t finished. He rises into seiza, a traditional kneeling posture, and bows repeatedly, continuing to express remorse.

For a brief moment, the two exchange bows in a familiar Japanese rhythm of politeness and acknowledgment. Yuji apologizes and thanks her for her forgiveness, while the judge accepts with equal grace. What could have been an awkward interruption instead becomes a striking display of humility, sportsmanship and the sincerity behind a deeply rooted cultural gesture.