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The J.League on Monday announced its list of players who are suspended for the week’s upcoming MEIJI YASUDA J2 and J3 League fixtures. Tokyo Verdy pair Yuya Sato and Masaki Chugo both miss out of Wednesday’s trip to FC Gifu, while Cerezo Osaka must do without veteran defender Noriyuki Sakemoto. In addition, Ehime FC’s Mutsumi Tamabay…

Germany’s Borussia Dortmund triumphed 6-0 over MEIJI YASUDA J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale in Tuesday night’s friendly at Todoroki Stadium. The Bundesliga visitors needed just five minutes to take the lead, with Samurai Blue star Shinji Kagawa heading in a cross from Lukasz Piszczek. The former Cerezo Osaka midfielder then doubled his te…

The J.League on Monday confirmed the kick-off times for the first leg of the 2015 Nabisco Cup quarter-finals. All four fixtures will be held at 19:00 local time on September 2, with last season’s winners Gamba Osaka hosting Nagoya Grampus while MEIJI YASUDA J1 League first stage winners Urawa Reds travel to Albirex Niigata. Kashiwa Reysol and FC…

Albirex Niigata defeated Ryutsu Keizai University 5-0 in a training match on Sunday ahead of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League’s restart this weekend. Striker Ryohei Yamazaki and defender Kentaro Ohi scored in the first half, while Tatsuya Tanaka, Musashi Suzuki and Shu Hiramatsu added to the tally in the second. The match counts as good preparation fo…

Vegalta Sendai on Monday announced a tentative agreement with 17-year-old Masato Tokida to join the club in 2016. The towering defender is in his third and final year at Aomori Yamada High School in Aomori Prefecture and considered an excellent prospect. “I’ll remain grateful to everyone who has supported me, and I want to work hard to ear…

MEIJI YASUDA J1 League first stage champions Urawa Reds defeated Waseda University 5-2 in a training match held at Ohara Training Ground on Saturday. The match was held over four 35-minute periods, with Shinzo Koroki scoring twice in the first quarter and Tsukasa Umesaki chipping in with a strike in the second. Mihailo Petrovic’s men did not let…

Former Kashima Antlers players Koji Nakata, Atsushi Yanagisawa, and Toru Araiba were inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame on Saturday. The trio were bestowed with the Antlers Service Award, established in 2008 to recognise players who have contributed to the club’s development. Portraits of the players have also been mounted in the Kashim…

Nagoya Grampus defeated Biwako Seikei Sport College in a friendly match at the club’s training camp in Hidafurukawa, Gifu Prefecture, last Saturday. The J1 side won the 70-minute encounter following goals by Milivoje Novakovic, Tomoya Koyamatsu and Teruki Tanaka. Manager Akira Nishino’s side, who finished the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League first s…

The J.League, in collaboration with the Bhutan Football Federation, presented 200 team kits to Bhutanese children in the country’s capital city of Thimphu on Friday. The children, wearing the jerseys contributed by J.League fans from across Japan, then participated in a football workshop. Japanese international charity organisation Sports For To…

Yokohama F.Marinos on Friday announced fans can commemorate the memory of former player Naoki Matsuda on the fifth anniversary of his death. Supporters will be able to sign a memorial flag at the team’s Tricolore One store in downtown Yokohama, where a special tent will be set up at the Minato Mirai store. Respects can be paid on August 4 betwee…

Montedio Yamagata on Friday announced a collaboration effort with “Ted 2”, the sequel to the hit comedy film “Ted”. Ted, the teddy-bear protagonist of both films, will join the club as a part-time employee and participate in promotional activities aimed at female supporters. “We’re looking at expanding our female fa…

Meiji University midfielder Yuto Sashinami has tentatively agreed to join Vegalta Sendai next season, the club confirmed on Friday. “I’m incredibly happy that my dream of becoming a professional player has come true,” the 22-year-old commented through Vegalta’s official website. “I’m grateful to my family, coaches, …

Sagan Tosu on Friday announced details regarding the sale of tickets for the “Cygames presents Special Match” against Atletico Madrid on August 1. Season ticket holders and fan club members will be able to purchase the tickets, which cost between 3,500 and 8,000 yen, between July 5 and 10 before they are made available to the public on July 1…

Cerezo Osaka on Thursday announced the transfer of midfielder Aria Jasuru Hasegawa to Spain’s Real Zaragoza. The mixed Japanese-Iranian player will team up with former coach Ranko Popovic, under whom he previously played for at Cerezo as well as FC Tokyo. “To be honest I am disappointed that I wasn’t able to achieve anything in the y…

The Japan Football Association on Thursday revealed the bracket for the first three rounds of the 95th Emperor’s Cup. Japan’s longest-running football tournament will feature 88 participants in 2015, including all 40 MEJI YASUDA J1 and J2 clubs, one seeded team, and 47 prefectural representatives. The first round of the single-elimination …

Kazuyoshi Miura, the J.League’s oldest scorer, will team with retired Kashima Antlers trio Koji Nakata, Toru Araiba and Atsushi Yanagisawa in their testimonial match. The 48-year-old “King Kazu” will join KAY FRIENDS, a team composed of the three retired players and their close friends, in their farewell game on July 5 at Kashima Stadiu…

Kashiwa Reysol on Thursday announced the sale of striker Leandro to fellow MEIJI YASUDA J1 League club Vissel Kobe. The Brazilian spent one-and-a-half seasons in Kashiwa and was crucial in his side’s march to the AFC Champions League quarter-finals this season. “I’m simply grateful for everything Reysol supporters have done for me,&r…

J.League chairman Mitsuru Murai visited Malaysia in June to promote the ongoing partnership with the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and Malaysian Super League (MSL). At a June 18 press conference in Kuala Lumpur, Chairman Murai recalled the two country’s shared footballing history, including Malaysia’s role as host of the November 16,…

Ventforet Kofu confirmed that they loaned defender Masaki Watanabe to MEIJI YASUDA J2 League side FC Gifu till the end of 2015 on Tuesday. The 28-year-old joined Ventforet from Giravanz Kitakyushu in January but only appeared in three MEIJI YASUDA J1 League as well as four Yamazaki Nabisco Cup matches. “I want to work hard in order to earn good …

Giravanz Kitakyushu announced attacker Yusuke Kondo moved down a division with his transfer to AC Nagano Parceiro on Wednesday. Kondo, who joined the southern club from Tochigi SC January, made five appearances for Giravanz this season, having previously played for Consadole Sapporo, Vissel Kobe, and FC Tokyo. “I only spent a short time with Gir…