News

Urawa Reds on Monday announced results of their recent fundraising campaign to help rebuild Myanmar following the deadly floods that recently hit the country. The club raised 290,482 yen (approximately $2,340) before last Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Shonan Bellmare on matchday 7 of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League second stage. The Reds will continue to…

Albirex Niigata striker Tatsuya Tanaka and Ventforet Kofu defender Yukio Tsuchiya became the latest players to celebrate 300 J1 League appearances last Sunday. Former Urawa Reds icon Tanaka came on as a 59th minute substitute in Albirex’s 1-1 draw at Shimizu S-Pulse on matchday 7 of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League second stage. The 32-year-old joined…

A selection of top J.League Under-16 prospects will be in Malaysia on a training visit between August 23 and 31. The squad, with players selected from MEIJI YASUDA J1 and J2 clubs, will make the trip to gain valuable experiences from the cultural exchange and playing matches against local opponents. One of the main highlights of their trip will be the…

Cristiano’s hat-trick inspired Kashiwa Reysol to a stunning 3-0 win against Sanfrecce Hiroshima to go level on points with their hosts, who endured their second MEIJI YASUDA J1 League loss in a row on Sunday. The Brazilian’s brilliance handed Reysol their fifth win in their last six games and confined Sanfrecce’s previous five-game winn…

Tokushima Vortis defender Yuya Hashiuchi revealed he will rely on his wife’s support as he begins recovering from a dislocated left elbow. The MEIJI YASUDA J2 League side on Thursday announced that the newly-married Hashiuchi will be out for a month after getting injured in the clash against Mito Hollyhock on August 8th. “With my wife&rsqu…

FC Tokyo had confirmed left-back Kosuke Ota would miss Sunday’s clash against Gamba Osaka after tearing a muscle in his right thigh. Friday’s announcement that the defender faces up to a month on the sidelines means he is also likely to miss Japan’s upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Cambodia and Afghanistan. The 28-year-old …

The J.League on Friday distributed football kits donated by supporters to local children in central Mongolia in collaboration with the Mongolian Football Federation. The 300 jerseys distributed came from over 700 donated by J.League fans across Japan in 2015, with 411 of the total already presented to children in Bhutan in July. The donation drive was…

Japan will travel to face Iran in a friendly at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on October 13, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Thursday. The clash against Asia’s top-ranked nation will take place five days after Japan face Syria in a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier at a neutral venue in Oman. It will be the second visit to Iran in as many…

The J.League unveiled its official Instagram account, found on the handle of ‘@jleaguejp’, on Friday. Fans worldwide who follow the account will be able to look forward to exclusive photos on the popular photo and video-sharing social networking site. Instagram represents the latest online presence for the J.League, following its Facebook …

Nagoya Grampus on Thursday announced that striker Gustavo will temporarily return to Brazil in order to receive treatment to his right knee. The 19-year-old’s recovery timetable and expected return to Japan will depend on the diagnosis of local doctors, the teenager’s injuries affecting his contributions this year. Gustavo, who is in his s…

An understrength Gamba Osaka fell 3-0 to River Plate in the 2015 Suruga Bank Championship on Tuesday. The Japanese champions had to make do without four stars who recently featured at the East Asian Cup, with MEIJI YASUDA J1 League top scorer Takashi Usami unable to join the team. Kenta Hasegawa’s men were duly overwhelmed by the Argentines, who…

Vegalta Sendai striker Wilson returned to Japan on Wednesday after receiving treatment for an injury to his right knee. The Brazilian returned in time to watch his club’s 3-1 win over Matsumoto Yamaga in MEIJI YASUDA J1 League action from the stands. He is expected to rejoin training with his team-mates this week, although when he will return to…

Shuto Yamamoto was perfectly placed to head home Kashima Antlers’ winner against Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Wednesday, in the process ending the hosts’ five-match winning run. Sanfrecce’s confidence had been soaring prior to the clash following their perfect start to the second stage of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season, although the visit …

The J.League on Tuesday announced Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Hisato Sato as the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League Coca Cola MVP for July. Sato recorded three goals and three assists in five appearances last month for second stage leaders Sanfrecce, in the process becoming the first to score 10 or more goals in 12 straight seasons. The J.League cited his brillia…

Yokohama F. Marinos captain Shunsuke Nakamura’s stunning 2-2 equaliser at Gamba Osaka was crowned the J1 League’s Best Goal for July by the J.League on Tuesday. In his first full appearance for Marinos this season on the 19th of that month, the former Celtic star curled a brilliant left-footed free-kick with his left foot past a helpless Masa…

Shimizu S-Pulse on Tuesday formally unveiled Kazuaki Tasaka as the club’s new manager. The 44-year-old joined S-Pulse on July 1 as part of the coaching team after leading Oita Trinita, and had served as the team’s acting manager following the recent dismissal of Katsumi Oenoki. With Tasaka officially in charge, the club will now be looking…

Vahid Halilhodzic is choosing to take heart from Japan’s performances at the East Asian Cup 2015, despite the side finishing winless after drawing 1-1 with China in their final match. The trend of failing to find the breakthrough against opponents extended from the opening 2-1 defeat to North Korea to only being able to grind out a 1-1 stalemate wi…

Japan boss Vahid Halilhodzic defended his team’s showings on the back of finishing last at the recently-concluded East Asian Cup. The 2013 winners had set out to defend their trophy but faltered in Wuhan, China, their 1-1 draw against the hosts in rainy conditions eventually leaving them without a victory to their name. But after being on the re…

Japan striker Yuki Muto says he is determined to improve despite being named the Golden Boot winner at the East Asian Cup 2015 for his two goals scored in two games. The Urawa Reds forward bagged the opener in the Samurai Blue’s opening clash with North Korea, before rounding off his tournament with the equaliser in a 1-1 draw with China. Howeve…

Jubilo Iwata striker Jay Bothroyd became the fifth player in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League to score a hat-trick this season, when he netted thrice against Kyoto Sanga on Saturday. The 33-year-old fired in the opener after just two minutes before his double in the second half helped Jubilo secure a 3-3 draw and a valuable point in the battle for promotion. …