author

 
Menu
Search
 
July 28, 2024
 

Today's print edition

Home Delivery
Subscribe for more access
Andrew MCKIRDY

Meta

Twitter

@Andrew_McKirdy

Andrew MCKIRDY
Andrew McKirdy is a sports writer for The Japan Times. His main beat is soccer, but he has also covered rugby, tennis, volleyball, golf and even tug-of-war. A native of the Scottish Borders, he has written for The Scotsman newspaper and organized filming for a program on Japanese soccer for ITV television.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Aug 11, 2018
Vegalta Sendai capitalize on second-half chances to beat Kashiwa Reysol
Hiroaki Okuno and Takuma Nishimura both scored in the second half as Vegalta Sendai beat Kashiwa Reysol 2-0 on Saturday to claim their first J. League win in four games.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 7, 2018
2020 Tokyo Olympics chiefs unveil pioneering face-recognition security system
Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic organizers are confident that security for the games will run smoothly and effectively after unveiling a pioneering face-recognition ID system Tuesday.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jul 31, 2018
Olympic ceremonies promised to be full of 'Japaneseness' but will carry a worldwide message
Classical actor and director Mansai Nomura promised Tuesday that the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic opening and closing ceremonies will be full of "Japaneseness" and "wit," one day after the games' organizing committee named him chief executive creative director for the four events.
SOCCER / World cup
Jul 5, 2018
Japan's World Cup team: A not so spotless record
National team captain Makoto Hasebe revealed Thursday that it was the team's staff — not the players — who were responsible for leaving the dressing room spotless following Japan's World Cup defeat to Belgium on Monday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jul 5, 2018
Nishino to pass torch as manager
...
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jul 3, 2018
Despite disappointing departure, Samurai Blue exceeded expectations at World Cup
Japan's exit from the World Cup on Monday was soccer at its cruelest, but once the dust has settled the team will be able to look back on its campaign with pride and satisfaction.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 29, 2018
Nishino made right call for Samurai Blue to advance
It was not pretty, but Japan did what was necessary to survive at the World Cup. If the Samurai Blue can make history by beating Belgium on Monday to reach the quarterfinals for the first time, the rather undignified end to Thursday's 1-0 loss to Poland will be long forgotten.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 25, 2018
Japan's conviction growing stronger with each step at World Cup
A World Cup campaign that threatened to be an ordeal for Japan is turning into one of steadily growing conviction. If the Samurai Blue can produce another performance like Sunday's 2-2 draw with Senegal, a place in the knockout round will be theirs for the taking.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 20, 2018
Early present helps Japan claim perfect start to World Cup campaign
An opening win that few saw coming has given Japan the perfect start to its World Cup campaign, but there will be further hurdles to clear if the team is to book its place in the knockout round.
Japan Times
Rugby
Jun 16, 2018
Fan excitement gaining momentum for 2019 Rugby World Cup
Rugby fans in Kobe believe excitement is growing ahead of next year's Rugby World Cup, with the national team's first-ever test match in the city on Saturday helping to turn up the volume.
Japan Times
Rugby
Jun 16, 2018
Italy holds off Brave Blossoms
Japan fell just short of a second straight win over Italy despite a furious second-half fightback on Saturday in a 25-22 defeat to the Azzurri in the first rugby test match ever to be played in Kobe.
Japan Times
Rugby
Jun 14, 2018
Tournament director Alan Gilpin confident 2019 Rugby World Cup organizers will be ready for extravaganza
The tournament director of the 2019 Rugby World Cup admitted Thursday that Japan's 12 host cities have yet to fully grasp the scale of the event but expressed confidence that they will be able to cope when an estimated 400,000 overseas fans arrive in 15 months' time.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 13, 2018
Russia awaits as stars get ready to battle for World Cup
The World Cup kicks off on Thursday (midnight Friday, Japan time) in Russia, marking the tournament's return to Europe for the first time since 2006. Thirty-two teams will compete over the next month for a place in the final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on July 15.
Japan Times
SOCCER
May 31, 2018
Nishino reveals 23-man squad for World Cup
National team manager Akira Nishino named his 23-man squad for next month's World Cup in Russia on Thursday and targeted at least a draw from each of Japan's first-round games against Colombia, Senegal and Poland.
Japan Times
SOCCER
May 30, 2018
Ghana outclasses Japan as Akira Nishino endures disappointing first match in charge
New national team manager Akira Nishino was handed a stark reminder of the task he faces at next month's World Cup after Japan lost 2-0 to Ghana on Wednesday in its final warmup match on home soil.
Japan Times
SOCCER
May 29, 2018
Japan boss Akira Nishino hoping friendly against Ghana will ease his World Cup roster decisions
National team manager Akira Nishino expects to agonize over his World Cup selections right up until he names his 23-man squad on Thursday but hopes Wednesday's friendly match against Ghana will provide some answers.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
May 24, 2018
Vissel sign ex-Barcelona star Andres Iniesta to massive deal
J. League club Vissel Kobe on Thursday announced the audacious signing of World Cup-winning former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta in a deal reported to be worth over ¥3 billion a year.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
May 19, 2018
F. Marinos battle past V-Varen
Yokohama F. Marinos hit V-Varen Nagasaki with a second-half blitz to head into the J. League's World Cup shutdown on a high with a 5-2 win on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER
May 18, 2018
Akira Nishino names Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa, Shinji Okazaki in squad for Ghana match
New national team manager Akira Nishino handed Keisuke Honda, Shinji Kagawa and Shinji Okazaki a World Cup lifeline on Friday when he named all three in his 27-man squad for Japan's final game before he chooses his roster for next month's tournament in Russia.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
May 16, 2018
Little time for Akira Nishino to choose World Cup squad
While coaches all around the globe are putting the finishing touches to their squads for the World Cup this week, Akira Nishino will be making his first selection as Japan manager.
Japan's population continues to fall even as foreign resident count rises
The number of residents in Tokyo as of Jan. 1 rose by 0.03% from a year before, data shows, marking a year-on-year increase for the first time in three years, while the country's other 46 prefectures saw their populations continue to decline.
Ahead of the Olympics, Japan is still talking about the gymnast who won't be there
Japan's Shoko Miyata withdrew from the gymnastics team herself over her drinking and smoking, although it had already appeared as though the association was prepared to send her home from the team’s training camp in Monaco.
Yen melt-up nudges Japanese stocks into correction territory
Japanese stocks are down 10% from their July peak as the yen strengthens.
‘Crazy’ yen rally is at risk of shattering as soon as Wednesday
Some investors are warning that a yen rally is fragile, as was on show this week when the yen rapidly retraced an advance after Thursday’s stronger-than-expected U.S. economic growth figures.
Japan's average life expectancy rises for first time in three years
A decline in COVID-19-caused deaths likely helped boost the average life expectancy for Japanese men and women to rise for the first time in three years in 2023.
The Japanese Olympians looking to shine in Paris
Rim Nakamura, who is attempting to win Japan's first Olympic gold medal in cycling, will be one of the top Japanese athletes to watch at the Paris Games.
Japan’s minimum wage set for record ¥50 hike in major boost
Demonstrators rally to demand a big hike in minimum wages in Tokyo last week.
Japan loses top spot on strongest passport list to Singapore
Japan had the strongest passport for six years running from 2018, before being dethroned by Singapore on the 2024 list.
Why Japan's mysterious stash of classified funds escapes scrutiny
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi (right) during a meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Japan eyes gold — and the future — as Olympic men's soccer campaign begins
Japan midfielder Yu Hirakawa controls the ball during a match against the United States in Kansas City, Kansas, on June 11.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

JNTO promotes sustainable tourism initiatives
JNTO promotes sustainable tourism initiatives

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS note

Read more

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER