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July 28, 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
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 22, 2014
Urawa prepares for darkest day
Urawa Reds will make unwanted J. League history when they take on Shimizu S-Pulse at an empty Saitama Stadium on Sunday, and S-Pulse manager Afshin Ghotbi knows from experience that it will not be an occasion to savor.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 15, 2014
Marinos handle Vortis
Yokohama F. Marinos maintained their perfect start to the J. League season with a comfortable 3-0 win over promoted Tokushima Vortis on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 14, 2014
Murai deserves praise for taking bold action against Urawa
The J. League has not always been known for taking clear, decisive action, but Thursday's announcement that Urawa Reds must play one home game behind closed doors as punishment for a discriminatory banner was a bold decision that must be applauded.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 13, 2014
J. League punishes Urawa for discriminatory banner
The J. League on Thursday ordered Urawa Reds to play their next home game behind closed doors as punishment for a discriminatory banner that appeared at a match last weekend.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 12, 2014
Usual suspects top the table early
The new J. League season is just two weeks old, but already there is a familiar look about the top of the table.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 7, 2014
'Pitbull' Davids thinks Japan has potential for World Cup upsets
Dutch legend Edgar Davids believes Japan can spring a surprise at this summer's World Cup in Brazil, calling on the likes of Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa to inspire a future generation of players watching at home.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 6, 2014
Kagawa invigorated by performance against New Zealand
Shinji Kagawa believes he can rescue his Manchester United career after starring in Japan's 4-2 friendly win over New Zealand on Wednesday night.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 5, 2014
Japan overwhelms New Zealand in National Stadium finale
Japan came out with all guns blazing to beat New Zealand 4-2 and say farewell to National Stadium in style in a friendly on Wednesday night.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 1, 2014
Antlers wallop Ventforet in season-opening match
Kashima Antlers made a barnstorming start to the new J.League season with a 4-0 demolition of Ventforet Kofu on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2014 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Feb 28, 2014
Cerezo looking to end Sanfrecce stranglehold
The following is the second of a two-part preview for the upcoming J. League season. Team-by-team previews of the nine highest-ranking teams competing in the first division are listed.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / 2014 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Feb 27, 2014
Gamba looking for payback
The following is the first of a two-part preview for the upcoming J. League season. Team-by-team previews of the nine lowest-ranked teams competing in the first division are listed.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 26, 2014
Popovic trying to keep lid on Forlan hype as Cerezo eye title
The arrival of star Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan has transformed Cerezo Osaka into runaway favorites for the J. League title in the minds of many, but if manager Ranko Popovic agrees with them, he is keeping quiet.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 25, 2014
Sanfrecce emboldened as chase for third straight title looms
Sanfrecce Hiroshima know they could not have won last year's J. League title without a bit of luck, but that will not stop the two-time defending champions from believing they can make it three in a row when the new season starts on Saturday.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 25, 2014
Mao gives measured response to Mori's criticism, defends use of triple axel
Just back from Russia, figure skater Mao Asada chides Tokyo 2020 Olympic organizing committee chief Yoshiro Mori for criticizing her effort at the Sochi Games.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 24, 2014
Arnold still getting used to life at Vegalta
New Vegalta Sendai manager Graham Arnold admits to being overwhelmed by the job so far, but the Australian is quietly confident of finding his feet over the coming J. League season.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 22, 2014
Sanfrecce open with win
Teenage strikers Gakuto Notsuda and Takuma Asano put Yokohama F. Marinos to the sword as Sanfrecce Hiroshima opened the new soccer season with a 2-0 victory in the Xerox Super Cup on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jan 22, 2014
Popovic says Cerezo primed for title run
It is impossible to properly assess how each team will fare more than a month ahead of the start of the 2014 J. League season, but Cerezo Osaka have reason to be quietly confident about the year ahead.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Jan 18, 2014
Kimura eyes World Cup place
Kosuke Kimura may be Japanese soccer's best-kept secret, but the New York Red Bulls right back is hoping to announce himself on the biggest stage at this summer's World Cup.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 8, 2014
Honda's moment arrives after long wait to join AC Milan
Keisuke Honda has waited a long time to get his shot with one of Europe's biggest clubs, but his patience should stand him in good stead as he begins life with Italian giants AC Milan this week.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 16, 2013
Zaccheroni aiming for stars with World Cup ambitions
National team manager Alberto Zaccheroni on Monday refused to put a limit on Japan's ambitions at next summer's World Cup, but stopped short of claiming his team can win the trophy.
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.
Paris Olympics kick off with rain-soaked — but grandiose — opening ceremony
Japan's 2024 Olympic team moves down the Seine River in Paris during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics on Friday.
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

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JNTO promotes sustainable tourism initiatives

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