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April 10, 2025
 

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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.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Sep 3, 2014
Aguirre ready to start work rebuilding Japan from scratch
Japan begins a new era on Friday night as manager Javier Aguirre leads the team out for the first time, and if first impressions of the Mexican are anything to go by, the next four years should be an interesting journey.
SOCCER / J. League
Aug 30, 2014
Reds trounce Ardija, increase lead atop J. League table
J. League front-runners Urawa Reds thrashed relegation-threatened local rivals Omiya Ardija 4-0 on Saturday to extend their lead at the top of the table.
SOCCER / World cup
Aug 28, 2014
Aguirre shakes up Japan national squad lineup for upcoming friendlies
New national team manager Javier Aguirre warned Japan's World Cup flops that their reputations will count for nothing as he named his first squad on Thursday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jul 31, 2014
Star Neymar eager to shine in upcoming season
Brazil and Barcelona star Neymar insists he has almost recovered from the injury that ended his World Cup dream, and is raring to go for the new club season.
SOCCER / J. League
Jul 27, 2014
Reds surrender first goal in 660 minutes in draw with Antlers
Urawa Reds saw their record run of clean sheets come to an end but stayed on top the J. League table after a 1-1 draw with Kashima Antlers on Saturday.
SOCCER / World cup
Jul 25, 2014
Nishimura doesn't dwell on World Cup controversy
World Cup referee Yuichi Nishimura has shrugged off the controversy that surrounded his decision to award Brazil a penalty in the tournament's opening game, but admitted that being a referee is no easy task.
SOCCER / World cup
Jul 24, 2014
Aguirre confirmed as Japan's next manager
The Japan Football Association on Thursday officially named Mexican Javier Aguirre as Japan's new national team manager.
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jul 21, 2014
Return from shutdown helps to forget World Cup woes
The return of J. League action is unlikely to ease the disappointment for soccer fans still sore from Japan's dismal World Cup showing, but a glut of goals as the league resumed in full on Saturday at least provided a welcome distraction.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 26, 2014
Results show Japan still far from ready for prime time
There are few if any positives to take from Japan's hugely disappointing World Cup campaign, but the team must make sure that the lessons of Brazil do not go unheeded.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 21, 2014
Drab draw leaves Japan hoping for miracles
"Believe in miracles," ran the headline of one sports newspaper after Japan's 0-0 draw with Greece left its World Cup hopes hanging by a thread, but simply salvaging pride from a bitterly disappointing campaign looks a more realistic ambition.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 18, 2014
Japan facing early exit if mistakes go unheeded against Greece
Japan must beat Greece on Thursday to stand any realistic chance of surviving at the World Cup, but a repeat of Saturday's performance in a frustrating defeat to Cote d'Ivoire will bring nothing but an early ticket home.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 11, 2014
Japan ready to make experience count at fifth World Cup
Japanese soccer can be rightfully proud of the progress it has made as the national team prepares to begin its fifth straight World Cup campaign, but no one in the squad will be happy just to take part.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 10, 2014
Brazil ready to take on world's best on home turf
The World Cup kicks off on Thursday (Friday, Japan time) in the country that has won the tournament more times than any other — Brazil. Thirty-two teams will compete over the next month for a place in the final at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana Stadium on July 13.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jun 4, 2014
Comeback win lifts confidence as Japan prepares for Brazil
National team manager Alberto Zaccheroni was looking for improvement in his players' physical condition in Monday's friendly against Costa Rica, but the mental boost they received from their 3-1 win could turn out to be even more important.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
May 28, 2014
Zaccheroni insists Japan will hit stride at World Cup
National team manager Alberto Zaccheroni is confident his side can shape up in time for the World Cup but admits the Blue Samurai are currently running on empty.
SOCCER / World cup
May 27, 2014
Uchida goal gives Japan victory over Cyprus in World Cup send-off
Atsuto Uchida scored two minutes before halftime to give Japan a 1-0 win over Cyprus on Tuesday in the Blue Samurai's last home game before heading off to the World Cup in Brazil.
Japan Times
Rugby
May 25, 2014
Japan punches ticket to Rugby World Cup in final sporting event at national stadium
Japan booked its place at the 2015 Rugby World Cup with a 49-8 win over Hong Kong on Sunday in the final sporting event at National Stadium before it is demolished and rebuilt to stage the 2020 Olympics.
MORE SPORTS
May 25, 2014
Murofushi urges Japanese athletes to expand horizons in preparation for 2020 Games
Former Olympic hammer champion Koji Murofushi has urged Japan's athletes to embrace the pressure of the 2020 Tokyo Games and end the country's track and field gold drought.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
May 21, 2014
Solid base puts Urawa top at break
There is no prize for heading into the J. League's World Cup shutdown in first place, but Urawa Reds can at least savor the view from the top of the table for the next two months.
SOCCER / J. League
May 17, 2014
Sekine strike helps Reds sink Cerezo
Teenager Takahiro Sekine scored seven minutes after coming on as a substitute to send Urawa Reds into the J. League summer break on top of the table after a 1-0 win over Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.
Wall Street will regret helping the world burn
Wall Street banks, under political pressure and tempted by short-term gains, are abandoning climate commitments and pouring billions into fossil fuels, risking both environmental catastrophe and massive future economic losses.
Trump's tariff gambit leaves Asia stunned and scrambling
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as he attends the National Republican Congressional Committee dinner in Washington on Tuesday. Trump allowed new tariffs — including a 24% levy on Japan — to go into effect as scheduled on Wednesday.
Japan and U.S. appoint tariff negotiators after Ishiba-Trump phone call
Economic revitalization minister Ryosei Akazawa enters the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on Tuesday.
Japanese makers rush to mitigate possible Nankai Trough earthquake damage
Toyota is considering transferring some production in the key Tokai region, which is expected to be hit hard in a Nankai Trough earthquake, to the Tohoku and Kyushu regions.
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it
An ongoing shortage of rice has resulted in rising prices for Japan's main food staple.
Japan gets a new U.S. ambassador — and he has his work cut out for him
George Glass, U.S. President Donald Trump's pick to be ambassador to Japan, attends a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing in Washington on March 13.
Online art scene eager to go offline, at least for the moment
Digital artist Polygon1993 revels in the physicality of nostalgic technology, making art out of materials such as miniature CDs, holographic prints layered with plexiglass shards and a giant custom-made floppy disk.
Tottori takes a bold leap forward in the arts
The city of Kurayoshi in Tottori Prefecture celebrated the opening of its public art museum with festivities such as a parade that drew 1,000 revelers.
Haruki Murakami TV adaptation revisits 30 years of watershed moments
Though Haruki Murakami's trademark whiff of offbeat existentialism is threaded throughout NHK's "After the Quake," the final episode — conceived as a sequel to the story "Super-Frog Saves Tokyo" — is the most stylized, featuring an anthropomorphic talking frog (voiced by Non) and his erstwhile associate Katagiri (Koichi Sato).
Nintendo to launch the Switch 2 on June 5
The controllers for the Switch 2 will attach to the console magnetically rather than sliding on rails as with the original device.

Podcast

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

Longform

An ongoing shortage of rice has resulted in rising prices for Japan's main food staple.
Why Japan is running out of rice — and farmers to grow it
By Alex K.T. Martin

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