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Jubilo Iwata on Friday announced their agreement with Holland’s SC Heerenveen regarding the full transfer of midfielder Yuki Kobayashi. The 24-year-old, who arrived at Yamaha Stadium in mid-2012, will play his final MEIJI YASUDA J1 match against Gamba Osaka on Saturday. He will then travel to the Dutch club to complete his medical check before s…

Japan won 1-0 over Sweden in their final group stage match of the 2016 Rio Olympic men’s football competition, but it was not enough to see them through to a second straight knockout tournament appearance. Shinya Yajima scored the lone goal of the encounter in the 65th minute, shortly after relieving Takumi Minamino. Makoto Teguramori’s me…

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo saw their 11-match unbeaten streak come to an end with a 1-0 loss at Yokohama FC in the 28th round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League. A sizeable crowd of nearly 7,000, enjoying the country’s first Mountain Day national holiday at Mitsuzawa Stadium, witnessed Tetsuya Okubo’s winner for the hosts in the 70th minute, which handed…

Kashima Antlers’ continued their slump, as they lost 1-0 to Colombian side Santa Fe in the 2016 Suruga Bank Championship on Wednesday. The MEIJI YASUDA J1 League First Stage winners dominated in terms of shooting opportunities and corners, but fell to Humberto Osorio’s winner in the 79th minute. Antlers had a golden opportunity to equalise…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Takumi Miyayoshi will miss three weeks after injuring his right thigh, the club announced on Tuesday. The 24-year-old was forced to leave Saturday’s match against Nagoya Grampus late in the first half after scoring his team’s second goal. Miyayoshi, who is in his first season with the defending champions, has fo…

Shimizu S-Pulse striker Chong Tese has been named the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League’s Monthly MVP for July after leading his team with impressive form. The former North Korea international picked up where injured captain Genki Omae left off, scoring seven goals in his club’s six matches.  Tese, who is currently tied for first place in t…

Kawasaki Frontale striker Yu Kobayashi has been named the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League Monthly MVP for July 2016 after an explosive attacking performance for his side. The Samurai Blue attacker scored six goals and recorded an additional assist in Frontale’s unbeaten month, earning particular praise from the selection committee for his headers and body c…

FC Tokyo striker Takuma Abe will miss the next six weeks after bruising muscles in his right calf, the club announced on Sunday. The 28-year-old, who has one goal in 11 league appearances this season, sustained the injury in training.

Yokohama FC on Monday announced the release of Slovenian defender Denis Halilovic following a mutual agreement to rescind his contract. The 30-year-old appeared in six matches for the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League side this season.

Goals from Takuma Asano and Shoya Nakajima helped Japan earn their first point of the 2016 Rio Olympics group stage in a 2-2 draw against Colombia. The reigning Asian Under-23 champions got off to a much better start than they displayed against Nigeria in the opening match, creating several chances in a first half which ended scoreless. Colombia took …

A record-revising goal by the J.League’s oldest active player was amongst the highlights of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League’s 27th round on Sunday. The legendary Kazuyoshi Miura’s 75th-minute goal sparked a comeback for Yokohama FC, who had been trailing Cerezo Osaka 2-0.  The visitors proceeded to equalise just four minutes lat…

The seventh round of the MEIJI YASUSA J1 League Second stage saw clubs in fine attacking form, with those at the top of the table racking up huge victories. Urawa Reds and Kawasaki Frontale scored four goals apiece in their respective wins; Yuki Muto netted a brace in the Reds’ 4-1 result over Shonan Bellmare. Meanwhile, Yu Kobayashi scored in a…

An early flurry of goals set the stage for a disappointing 5-4 loss to Nigeria by Japan on Friday morning in their opening match of the 2016 Rio Olympics. The African side took the lead after just six minutes when Sadiq Umar took advantage of a poor clearance by goalkeeper Masatoshi Kushibiki, with overage selection Shinzo Koroki equalising from the spot…

Shonan Bellmare on Friday announced the signing of Brazilian striker Dinei. The 32-year-old, who was released from Kashima Antlers in June, recorded one goal from six appearances in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League First Stage. “I’m deeply grateful to Shonan Bellmare for giving me the opportunity to keep playing in Japan,” Dinei said.…

The J.League on Friday announced its slate of nominees for the MEIJI YASUDA J.League Monthly MVP for July 2016. In the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League, Urawa Reds’ Tadanari Lee, who already was crowned April’s winner, is in contention. Kawasaki Frontale’s Yu Kobayashi and Sagan Tosu’s Yohei Toyoda also earned the nod. The MEIJI YASUD…

Sagan Tosu on Thursday announced the signing of midfielder Aymen Tahar, who is set to become the J.League’s first Algerian player. Born in England, the former Algeria Under-20 international has belong for England’s Sheffield United as well as Steaua Bucuresti. The Romanian club was whom he was most recently contracted with, but he spent la…

Ventforet Kofu have announced the signing of former striker Davi, who has trained with the club this summer. The 32-year-old Brazilian is well-versed in the J.League, having previously played for Ventforet as well as Kashima Antlers, Nagoya Grampus, and Consadole Sapporo. “Ventforet Kofu guided me to success as a player and I’m happy to be…

The Japan Football Association has announced the call-up of backup member Musashi Suzuki to the Japan U-23 squad ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics. The Albirex Niigata striker will replace Yuya Kubo, who, due to circumstances at his club BSC Young Boys, will be unable to participate in the tournament. JEF United Chiba striker Ado Onaiwu has been register…

FC Tokyo midfielder Kento Hashimoto will miss the next four weeks, his club announced on Tuesday. The 22-year-old suffered an injury to his left hamstring in the first half of Tokyo’s 1-0 win at Albirex Niigata last Saturday in the sixth round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League Second Stage. Hashimoto has three goals in 16 appearances this seaso…

The kick-off time and broadcast details have been confirmed for the 2016 J.League YBC Levain Cup Final, which will take place on October 15 at Saitama Stadium. The match, which will kick off at 13:05 JST, will be aired on Japan’s Fuji Television network nationwide. The Knockout Stage for the tournament’s 24th edition will begin on August 3…