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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

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 27, 2014

Japan manager Aguirre protests innocence over match-fixing allegations

National team manager Javier Aguirre launched an impassioned defense of his integrity as he broke his silence over match-fixing allegations on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 18, 2014

JFA retains Aguirre for Asian Cup

Javier Aguirre will manage Japan at the Asian Cup in January despite being named as a defendant in a match-fixing case filed by Spanish prosecutors earlier this week, the Japan Football Association confirmed on Thursday.

SOCCER / J. League

Dec 13, 2014

Gamba claim treble

Gamba Osaka completed a remarkable trophy treble by beating Montedio Yamagata 3-1 to lift the Emperor's Cup on Saturday.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Dec 10, 2014

Gamba back on top after riding formidable wave of form

The notion of Gamba Osaka winning the 2014 J. League title was laughable when the club went into the World Cup break in the relegation zone, but after lifting the trophy on Saturday it is difficult to deny they deserved it.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Nov 26, 2014

Vital Gamba win over Urawa breathes new life into title race

Gamba Osaka manager Kenta Hasegawa said he wanted to make the J. League title race interesting in Saturday's game against Urawa Reds, and after watching his team blow the field wide open with a 2-0 win over the league leaders, his wish was certainly granted.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 22, 2014

Gamba keep title hopes alive

Gamba Osaka launched a late smash-and-grab raid to blow the J. League title race wide open with a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds on Saturday.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Nov 12, 2014

Aguirre's experiments on back burner as Asian Cup looms

Japan manager Javier Aguirre is running out of time to build a team for January's Asian Cup, but the Mexican will hope that the return of several familiar faces for two friendlies over the coming week can provide instant solutions.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 8, 2014

Gamba win Nabisco Cup

Gamba Osaka lifted the Nabisco Cup after coming from two goals down to beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-2 on Saturday, stoking hopes of a trophy treble.

SOCCER / J. League

Nov 2, 2014

S-Pulse stay afloat by beating Frontale

Substitute Kazuya Murata injected dramatic new life into Shimizu S-Pulse's J1 survival bid with a 90th-minute goal to seal a 3-2 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Sunday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Oct 29, 2014

Urawa, Gamba break clear of pack

Stranger things have happened in the J. League, but with four games of the season remaining, the title race is now almost certainly down to two teams.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 26, 2014

Cerezo, Marinos settle for scoreless draw

Cerezo Osaka failed to seize the initiative in their fight against relegation after being held to a 0-0 draw by Yokohama F. Marinos on Sunday.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 18, 2014

Antlers squander lead twice in defeat to Reysol

Kashima Antlers wasted a glorious chance to make up ground in the J. League title race after twice throwing away a lead before conceding in the 90th minute to lose 3-2 to Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Oct 8, 2014

Aguirre focuses on team building

Javier Aguirre will be looking for positive performances in Japan's friendlies against Jamaica and Brazil over the coming week, but after failing to register a win in his first two games as manager, positive results would be even more welcome.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Oct 1, 2014

Leading group sheds makeweights as season gets down to nitty-gritty

The last few weeks have whittled down the list of genuine contenders for this year's J. League title, but choosing a winner with eight games left is still far from straightforward.

SOCCER / J. League

Sep 23, 2014

Struggling Sagan Tosu fall nine points behind Urawa Reds in standings

Sagan Tosu lost further ground in the J. League title race after a 2-0 defeat to Kashiwa Reysol on Tuesday night left them nine points adrift of leaders Urawa Reds.

Japan Times

Rugby

Sep 18, 2014

Japan coach Jones says team sets target of reaching 2015 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals

National rugby team head coach Eddie Jones believes Japan can reach the quarterfinals of next year's Rugby World Cup by flummoxing the opposition with "samurai eyes and ninja bodies."

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Sep 15, 2014

Kagawa capable of making most of fresh start at Dortmund

It cannot have been easy for Shinji Kagawa to leave Manchester United, but if his performance in his first game since returning to Borussia Dortmund is anything to go by, the move is definitely in his best interests.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Sep 10, 2014

Aguirre urges Samurai Blue to play with more imagination

National team manager Javier Aguirre has urged his players to think for themselves after watching his new side fail to register a win in his first two games in charge.

SOCCER / World cup

Sep 10, 2014

Aguirre urges Japan to play with more imagination

National team manager Javier Aguirre has urged his players to think for themselves after watching his new side fail to register a win in his first two games in charge.

SOCCER / World cup

Sep 9, 2014

Japan squanders lead twice in draw with Venezuela

Japan twice took the lead but failed to deliver a first win for new manager Javier Aguirre in a 2-2 friendly draw with Venezuela on Tuesday night.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

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Visitors walk past Sou Fujimoto's Grand Ring, which has been recognized as the largest wooden structure in the world.

Can a World Expo still matter? Japan is about to find out.

By Tomoko Otake

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