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.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 7, 2011
Striker Juninho making lasting impression with Frontale
KAWASAKI — A lot of things have changed at Kawasaki Frontale over the past six months, but Brazilian striker Juninho's desire to help the club win its first J. League title is not one of them.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Feb 3, 2011
Zaccheroni demonstrates worth with Asian Cup triumph
If the JFA was stung by criticism over its appointment of national team manager Alberto Zaccheroni in August, vindication was not long in coming.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 29, 2011
Japan's perseverance resonates throughout Asian Cup campaign
Australia will be a formidable opponent in Saturday's Asian Cup final, but fatigue could be just as big an obstacle to Japan's chances of winning the trophy for a record fourth time.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Jan 24, 2011
Nelsinho vows to take resurgent Reysol to next level
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Kashiwa Reysol manager Nelsinho is eager to see how far his team's momentum can take it on returning to the J. League first division after only one season in the second tier.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 20, 2011
Asian Cup campaign gathering steam after five-goal salvo
Slowly but surely, Japan's Asian Cup challenge is taking shape.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 13, 2011
Toothless performance shows Zaccheroni flip side of coin
After the euphoria of beating Argentina in his first match as national team manager, Alberto Zaccheroni got a good look at the other face of Japanese soccer on Sunday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jan 6, 2011
Zaccheroni equipped to make winning start to new era
No sooner than one soccer year ends, another one begins.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Jan 3, 2011
Antlers earn Emperor's Cup, lock up ACL berth
Kashima Antlers manager Oswaldo Oliveira believes the frustration of missing out on a fourth straight J. League title was the driving force behind his team's 2-1 win over Shimizu S-Pulse in the Emperor's Cup final on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Dec 9, 2010
Tokyo left to pick up pieces after nightmare year
What began as a year of optimism and promise could not have turned out any worse for FC Tokyo.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 5, 2010
Vissel avoids relegation by winning season finale
SAITAMA — Vissel Kobe secured their first-division survival and condemned FC Tokyo to an astonishing relegation with a 4-0 demolition of Urawa Reds on the final day of the J. League season on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 2, 2010
Japan facing uphill struggle as World Cup decision looms
Thursday marks the end of a long and vicious battle for hosting rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, but Japan will look to Zurich more in hope than expectation of winning the latter.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 25, 2010
No time for drama as coldblooded Grampus get job done
While Nagoya Grampus' unblinking march toward the title has deprived the J. League of late drama, it has provided a testament to the quality and efficiency of the newly crowned champions.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 24, 2010
Ishihara's late strike gives Omiya Ardija draw against Vissel Kobe
SAITAMA — Naoki Ishihara salvaged an 85th-minute equalizer to all-but secure Omiya Ardija's first-division survival and edge Vissel Kobe closer to the relegation trapdoor with a 2-2 draw on Tuesday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 21, 2010
Grampus beat Bellmare, win first J. League title
HIRATSUKA, Kanagawa Pref. — Nagoya Grampus finally claimed their first-ever J. League title with a 1-0 win over Shonan Bellmare on Saturday as Kashima Antlers' challenge fizzled out with a scoreless draw at Vissel Kobe.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Nov 18, 2010
Still work to do before Grampus lay hands on title
The J. League title race has gone down to the wire in every season since the single-league format was introduced in 2005, but Nagoya Grampus will be hoping for no such excitement this year.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 16, 2010
Antlers refuse to concede title to Grampus
KAWASAKI — Kashima Antlers manager Oswaldo Oliveira has warned Nagoya Grampus not to start celebrating their first-ever J. League title just yet, even as Dragan Stojkovic's side moved to match point in the championship race on Sunday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 8, 2010
Antlers revive slim title hopes with win over Grampus
KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. — Defending champions Kashima Antlers reined in Nagoya Grampus' march toward the J. League title and revived their own championship ambitions with a gritty 1-0 win over the league leaders on Sunday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 4, 2010
Jubilo's Maeda strikes twice in thrilling Nabisco Cup final triumph
Jubilo Iwata came back from the dead to claim their first trophy in seven years with a breathless 5-3 extra-time win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the Nabisco Cup final on Wednesday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Oct 24, 2010
Gonda stands tall late as FC Tokyo earns point
Shuichi Gonda saved a last-minute penalty to rescue a 1-1 draw for relegation-threatened FC Tokyo against Albirex Niigata on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Oct 21, 2010
Relegation battle heats up as title race cools down
An unexpected defeat for Nagoya Grampus has reined in the J. League's one-horse title race — for now at least — but the competition at the other end of the table is just getting started.
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