The taxonomy of the leucosiid crab genus Merocryptoides Sakai, 1963 is revised, and two new species, M. ohtsukai and M. peteri are described from Japan. These new species resemble the type species of the genus, M. frontalis Sakai, 1963 from Japan, but can be distinguished from it by the form of the cardiac tubercle, male abdomen, male telson and first male pleopods. Merocryptoides ohtsukai is also distinguished from M. peteri by the broadly V-shaped ridge on the gastric tubercle, the lateral margin of the hepatic region not ridged and the form of the median tooth of the epibranchial margin.