No manager in the history of the Meiji Yasuda J.League has been more successful than Toru Oniki. The Kawasaki Frontale boss led his club to the 2023 Emperor’s Cup crown, giving him nine major trophies and tying Oswaldo de Oliveira for the most by any manager. With this achievement, he also becomes the most successful Japanese manager in J.League history.

Oniki retired from playing for Frontale in 2006 and immediately moved into the team’s coaching ranks, eventually becoming the boss in 2017. He led the club to their first-ever major trophy in his first season, winning the J1 title. The following season, he won the league again.

In 2019, Oniki’s Frontale side won the Super Cup and J.League Cup; then in 2020 they won the J1 and Emperor’s Cup double. Another Super Cup followed in 2021, as did Oniki’s fourth J1 crown. After his first-ever trophy-less season in 2022, Oniki captured yet another piece of silverware last week, winning the Emperor’s Cup in an epic penalty kick shootout.

Oliveira led Kashima Antlers to three top flight titles, two Emperor’s Cups, a J.League Cup and two Super Cups before securing his ninth trophy at Urawa Reds, where he won the Emperor’s Cup. The Brazilian stood alone at the top of the J.League manager trophy haul, but no more.

Oniki has an unsurpassed nine trophies, and you can bet he and Frontale will make a run at number 10 in 2024.