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November 22, 2024
 

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Andrew MCKIRDY

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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
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 Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
May 12, 2018
War games: Examining the fascination with recreational airsoft combat games in Japan
I know that scores of heavily armed people are out there lying in wait to shoot me, but I can't see them.
Japan Times
Rugby
May 12, 2018
Sunwolves rout Reds for first win of season
The Sunwolves picked up their first win of the Super Rugby season in barnstorming style with a 63-28 demolition of the Reds on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
May 9, 2018
Amazing transformation puts Sanfrecce firmly in driver's seat
No one who watched Sanfrecce Hiroshima barely avoid relegation last season could have imagined that they would top the J. League table after 13 games of the 2018 campaign.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
May 5, 2018
Kosuke Ota sparks FC Tokyo in victory over Kawasaki Frontale
Kosuke Ota produced two free kick assists as FC Tokyo kept up its strong J. League form with a 2-0 win over defending champions Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Apr 27, 2018
Vahid Halilhodzic says firing was a 'shock'
Former national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic insisted Friday that he still had not "found out the truth" as to why he was fired two months before he was set to lead Japan at the World Cup.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 24, 2018
IOC to remain 'politically neutral' toward North Korea's involvement in 2020 Tokyo Olympics: vice president
International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates stressed Tuesday that the IOC will remain "politically neutral" toward North Korea's participation at the 2020 Tokyo Games and will not try to force the government to accept non-sporting visitors.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Apr 21, 2018
Frontale heap misery on Antlers once again
Defending J. League champions Kawasaki Frontale rubbed more salt into Kashima Antlers' wounds with a resounding 4-1 win over last season's runners-up on Saturday.
Japan Times
Rugby
Apr 14, 2018
Blues drop Sunwolves to 0-7
The Sunwolves let an early lead slip through their fingers to remain winless after seven games of the Super Rugby season after a 24-10 defeat to New Zealand's Blues on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Apr 12, 2018
New manager Akira Nishino has big ambitions for national team
New national soccer team manager Akira Nishino believes Japan is capable of making an impact at this summer's World Cup despite taking over just two months before the tournament begins.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Apr 11, 2018
JFA breaking character with big World Cup risk
Rumors that Vahid Halilhodzic was on the brink of being fired as Japan manager dogged the Bosnian for almost as long as he was in the job, but it was still a major surprise to see the Japan Football Association push him over the edge this week.
Two of America’s biggest debt holders are dumping Treasurys
The U.S. Treasury building in Washington. Investors in Japan and China sold a pile of U.S. debt in the last quarter, just before the U.S. presidential election.
Ishiba aggravates his own political failures with diplomatic faux pas
Prime Minster Shigeru Ishiba is greeted at the APEC summit in Lima by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. The Japanese leader was criticized for remaining seated while meeting several world leaders at the event.
Japan's 3.31 million visitors in October set monthly record
Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto in December 2023. Famous autumn leaf colors contributed to increased tourism demand last month from many markets across Asia, Europe and North America, the Japan National Tourism Organization has said.
Japan ranks last in romance satisfaction for second straight year
In a survey of 31 countries, Japan ranked last in terms of those who felt loved, with just 51% of respondents saying so.
Ruling coalition and DPP strike last-minute deal over economic policy
DPP policy chief Makoto Mahaguchi speaks at the party's policy gathering in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan, U.K. and Italy discuss inviting more countries to joint fighter project
A new concept model of a next-generation fighter jet to be jointly developed by Japan, Britain and Italy is on display in Farnborough, Hampshire, in July.
Haruki Murakami's 'The City and Its Uncertain Walls' gives deep deja vu
For “The City and Its Uncertain Walls,” translated into English by Philip Gabriel, Haruki Murakami confronts the ghosts who won't leave him alone.
Japanese expats in Asia find community through rugby
The Taiwan Fivewoods celebrate their victory at the 2023 Asian Japanese Rugby Cup in December of last year.
In Fukushima, a weekend of prose, poetry and translation
Aomori-based writer JJ Carter presented on tabletop gaming as creative inspiration for building characters and narratives.

Podcast

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

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?
By Kathryn Wortley

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