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.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 6, 2009
Okubo equipped to make the most of his second chance
Yoshito Okubo's career may not have followed the course it seemed destined for when he burst onto the scene at the start of the decade, but a move to Wolfsburg gives the striker the perfect opportunity to make his belated mark on European soccer.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jan 1, 2009
'Not everything goes right'
On Nov. 19 in Doha, in its final match of the year, the Japan national team turned in one of its best performances of 2008 to beat Qatar 3-0 and consolidate second place in World Cup final Asian qualifying Group 1.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 1, 2009
Gamba overcomes Marinos, fatigue, schedule for one more tilt at glory
When Gamba Osaka takes to the field for the Emperor's Cup final on New Year's Day, fatigue could prove to be just as deadly an opponent as Kashiwa Reysol.
SOCCER
Dec 23, 2008
Ferguson eyes further titles after CWC glory
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson believes his side can use its Club World Cup victory as a launchpad to success for the rest of the season.
Japan Times
SOCCER / CLUB WORLD CUP
Dec 22, 2008
Yamazaki leads Gamba to third-place finish
Gamba Osaka beat Mexico's Pachuca 1-0 on Sunday to claim a second consecutive third-place finish for a Japanese team at the Club World Cup.
Japan Times
SOCCER / CLUB WORLD CUP
Dec 22, 2008
Rooney lifts United to first CWC title
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United overcame a second-half red card for Nemanja Vidic to win the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over LDU Quito on Sunday.
SOCCER
Dec 21, 2008
United ready for final push
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is bracing for a bruising Club World Cup final encounter with Ecuador's LDU Quito on Sunday, but is confident his side can bring the world title back to Old Trafford for the second time in the club's history.
SOCCER
Dec 20, 2008
Fergie sees red over Real's Ronaldo claim
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has rubbished Real Madrid's claims to have reached a deal with Cristiano Ronaldo over a summer move to the Bernabeu, saying he "wouldn't sell them a virus."
Japan Times
SOCCER / CLUB WORLD CUP
Dec 19, 2008
United advances to final as goal rush sees off Gamba
YOKOHAMA — Wayne Rooney came off the bench to ignite a second-half goal rush as Manchester United beat Gamba Osaka 5-3 Thursday to reach the final of the Club World Cup.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 18, 2008
Gamba needs superhuman effort to scalp United
Gamba Osaka will be aware there is potential for a thrashing at the hands of Manchester United in Thursday's Club World Cup semifinal, but the possibility of a shock upset should not be discounted either.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 18, 2008
LDU Quito brush aside Pachuca to reach final
South American champion LDU Quito produced a first-half blitz to beat Mexico's Pachuca 2-0 Wednesday and book a place in the Club World Cup final.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 17, 2008
Ferguson targets world domination
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson insists his side is going all-out for Club World Cup glory this week, but is taking nothing for granted ahead of Thursday's semifinal clash with Gamba Osaka.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 13, 2008
Manchester United a near lock to lift Club World Cup
A trip to Japan just before the busiest time of the Premier League season would probably not be on Alex Ferguson's ideal itinerary, but there will never be a better chance for Manchester United to become world champions again.
SOCCER
Dec 12, 2008
Adelaide beats Waitakere
Adelaide United manager Aurelio Vidmar sounded a warning to Gamba Osaka after his side edged past Waitakere United 2-1 in the opening game of the Club World Cup on Thursday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 7, 2008
Antlers repeat as champs
Defending champions Kashima Antlers held their nerve to clinch the 2008 J. League title with a 1-0 win over Consadole Sapporo on Saturday.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 5, 2008
Determination brings Antlers to brink of J. League crown
This year's J. League title race has been so unpredictable that nothing can be ruled out until the final whistle, but it would take a mighty twist in the tale for Kashima Antlers to be denied the championship on Saturday.
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 4, 2008
Miller focused ahead of JEF's day of reckoning
NARASHINO, Chiba Pref. — JEF United Chiba manager Alex Miller is refusing to be distracted by events elsewhere in the J. League as his side makes a last-ditch attempt to avoid relegation on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 30, 2008
Iwamasa's injury-time tally keeps Antlers on track for league glory
KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. — An injury-time header from Daiki Iwamasa gave Kashima Antlers one hand on the J. League title with a 1-0 win over Jubilo Iwata on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 28, 2008
Urawa's treatment of fired Engels a real disgrace
Gert Engels' dismissal on Thursday as manager of Urawa Reds was inevitable, but although he must shoulder some of the blame for a disappointing season in Saitama, the German could have expected better than the shabby treatment he received over the past few weeks.
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 24, 2008
Engels: Reds need to make decision
SAITAMA — Urawa Reds manager Gert Engels has urged the club to make a decision on his future after an apparent pretender to his throne watched his side's 2-1 defeat to Shimizu S-Pulse on Sunday.
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