News

The J.League Under-17 Selection has returned to Japan following their third-place finish in the ABN Amro Future Cup, a Netherlands-hosted international tournament featuring some of Europe’s top academy sides. After a flawless group stage featuring wins against Ajax, Juventus, and Benfica, the team narrowly lost to Bayern Munich in the semi-finals b…

Omiya Ardija on Tuesday announced that attacking midfielder Nejc Pecnik will miss the next four weeks due to injury. The Slovenia international tore a muscle in his right hip during the team’s 0-0 draw against Kashiwa Reysol on April 12 in J.League YBC Levain Cup group stages. Pecnik, who is in his second season with Ardija after arriving in Jap…

Officials from the Japan Football Association spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Monday to promote the 97th Emperor’s Cup, which kicks off this coming weekend. The opening round of the country’s top cup tournament will be contested by 47 prefectural representatives as well as reigning Japan Football League champions Honda FC. J1 and J2 League …

FC Tokyo Under-23 striker Takefusa Kubo became the youngest player to score a goal in a J.League match on Saturday during his team’s MEIJI YASUDA J3 League match against Cerezo Osaka U-23. Kubo’s 38th-minute goal came at 15 years, 10 months and 11 days, besting the previous J3 record held by Cerezo’s Reiya Morishita of 17 years, five mo…

Gamba Osaka on Friday announced an injury to star striker Ademilson. The Brazilian, who leads the team with two goals in the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League, suffered a tear in his right adductor muscle during a training session on April 9. The club has not announced a timetable for his return.

Yokohama F. Marinos on Thursday announced that striker Cayman Togashi will miss three weeks of action after tearing his left hamstring. The 23-year-old sustained the injury in training earlier this week which is expected to further curtail his involvement in the important month of April.  Togashi impact has been limited this season, with one goal…

Japanese teams struggled on Wednesday night in the fourth round of the 2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage. Kashima Antlers found themselves trailing Australia’s Brisbane Roar 2-0 midway through their away match and were unable to complete a comeback after Ryota Nagaki cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 79th minute. The defending J.League champions…

The J.League YBC Levain Cup resumed on Wednesday evening with six group stage matches taking place around the country. Ryosuke Shindo’s goal propelled Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo to the top of Group A in their 1-0 win at Shimizu S-Pulse. Further north, striker Crislan scored his first goal for Vegalta Sendai in their 2-0 victory over Jubilo Iwata…

Two J.League clubs attained mixed results on Tuesday night in their 2017 AFC Champions League group stage matches. Urawa Reds welcomed Chinese powerhouse Shanghai SIPG to Saitama Stadium, escaping with a 1-0 win thanks to Rafael Silva’s goal just before half-time.  Goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa stopped Oscar’s penalty kick in the 65th …

Kashiwa Reysol have upgraded striker Koki Oshima to a ‘Pro A’ contract after the player reached the required amount of playing time. The 20-year-old has earned 450 minutes of playing time in J.League-sanctioned competitions, a number which includes one third of his total playing time in the MEIJI YASUDA J3 League. “I’m happy to…

Nagoya Grampus have moved to the top of the J2 League table after the seventh round of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League. Goals by Keiji Tamada and Ryuji Sugimoto were enough to overcome Hironori Ishi’s equaliser in the team’s 2-1 win over Kamatamare Sanuki in the friendly confines of Paloma Mizuho Stadium. Previous leaders Tokyo Verdy fell …

Struggling Sanfrecce Hiroshima finally earned their first MEIJI YASUDA J1 League win on Friday, seeing off Gamba Osaka 1-0 at Suita City Football Stadium. The 2015 J.League champions kicked-off the sixth matchday desperately needing a result to overturn their poor start to the season. And Hajime Moriyasu’s men picked up three vital points when M…

The J.League has revealed details of the league’s continued support for Brazilian club Chapecoense following Chairman Mitsuru Murai’s visit to Brazil last month. In addition to the previously-announced donation amount, Suruga Bank Championship 2017 participants Urawa Reds as well as J.League clubs whose former players or coaches were lost in …

The J.League on Thursday announced the recipients of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J.League Mastercard priceless japan Monthly MVP award for February and March. In the J1, Urawa Reds striker Rafael Silva was recognised for his league-leading five goals in four matches.   The winter arrival has invigorated the Reds’ attack, adding yet another threat…

Nagoya Grampus have announced injuries to striker Hisato Sato and midfielder Ryuji Izumi which will see the two players out for around six weeks. Former J.League MVP Sato has been diagnosed with a torn right hamstring, while Izumi has damaged ligaments in his right knee. Both players suffered the injuries during the team’s 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J2 L…

The J.League has announced its selection of Under-17 players to tour Netherlands in April as part of a cooperative program with the Japan Football Association. The team of academy players - the first J.League U-17 selection to go overseas - have the opportunity to travel to Amsterdam in order to take part in the ABN Amro Future Cup. The tournament wil…

Sagan Tosu on Monday announced the signing of Japanese-Italian goalkeeper Akira Fantini on a full transfer. The 18-year-old has spent the several years at Italian club Cesena’s academy, earning promotion to the senior team this season. “I’m incredibly happy to join Sagan Tosu,” Fantini said.  “I look forward to ad…

The final match of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League Round 5 took place on Sunday afternoon, with Ventforet Kofu defeating Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2-0. Akihiro Hyodo scored the opener for the hosts just three minutes short of halftime, with defender Eder Lima doubling the team’s lead in the 52nd minute. The result sees Ventforet climb to 11th p…

Tokyo Verdy sit atop the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League for the first time this season after a key away win at Fagiano Okayama. The Original 10 side nabbed three points thanks to Koki Anzai’s late goal in the 81st minute at City Light Stadium. Verdy, who are riding a five-game winning streak since their opening day loss, overtook last week’s …

A collapse in the final two minutes saw FC Tokyo only manage a 3-3 draw against Sagan Tosu in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League on Saturday. It was in fact Yohei Toyoda who put the visitors in front in just the fourth minute, and it was only in the 70th minute that the capital club found an answer. Peter Utaka, on for Sotan Tanabe in the 58th minute, hit hom…