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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
SOCCER
Dec 18, 2008
LDU Quito brush aside Pachuca to reach final
South American champion LDU Quito produced a first-half blitz to beat Mexico's Pachuca 2-0 Wednesday and book a place in the Club World Cup final.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 17, 2008
Ferguson targets world domination
YOKOHAMA — Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson insists his side is going all-out for Club World Cup glory this week, but is taking nothing for granted ahead of Thursday's semifinal clash with Gamba Osaka.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 13, 2008
Manchester United a near lock to lift Club World Cup
A trip to Japan just before the busiest time of the Premier League season would probably not be on Alex Ferguson's ideal itinerary, but there will never be a better chance for Manchester United to become world champions again.
SOCCER
Dec 12, 2008
Adelaide beats Waitakere
Adelaide United manager Aurelio Vidmar sounded a warning to Gamba Osaka after his side edged past Waitakere United 2-1 in the opening game of the Club World Cup on Thursday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 7, 2008
Antlers repeat as champs
Defending champions Kashima Antlers held their nerve to clinch the 2008 J. League title with a 1-0 win over Consadole Sapporo on Saturday.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Dec 5, 2008
Determination brings Antlers to brink of J. League crown
This year's J. League title race has been so unpredictable that nothing can be ruled out until the final whistle, but it would take a mighty twist in the tale for Kashima Antlers to be denied the championship on Saturday.
SOCCER / J. League
Dec 4, 2008
Miller focused ahead of JEF's day of reckoning
NARASHINO, Chiba Pref. — JEF United Chiba manager Alex Miller is refusing to be distracted by events elsewhere in the J. League as his side makes a last-ditch attempt to avoid relegation on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 30, 2008
Iwamasa's injury-time tally keeps Antlers on track for league glory
KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. — An injury-time header from Daiki Iwamasa gave Kashima Antlers one hand on the J. League title with a 1-0 win over Jubilo Iwata on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 28, 2008
Urawa's treatment of fired Engels a real disgrace
Gert Engels' dismissal on Thursday as manager of Urawa Reds was inevitable, but although he must shoulder some of the blame for a disappointing season in Saitama, the German could have expected better than the shabby treatment he received over the past few weeks.
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 24, 2008
Engels: Reds need to make decision
SAITAMA — Urawa Reds manager Gert Engels has urged the club to make a decision on his future after an apparent pretender to his throne watched his side's 2-1 defeat to Shimizu S-Pulse on Sunday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 24, 2008
S-Pulse spoil Urawa's title hopes
SAITAMA — Shimizu S-Pulse all but killed off Urawa Reds' J. League title hopes with a 2-1 win on Sunday, on a day when Kashima Antlers, Nagoya Grampus and Kawasaki Frontale all surged away from the chasing pack.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 23, 2008
J. League title chase enters home stretch
The J. League title race going down to the wire is nothing new, but this year's championship is shaping up to be the tightest yet.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 19, 2008
Japan must beware at scene of biggest nightmare
The "Agony of Doha" — where Japan conceded a last-minute goal to Iraq to miss out on qualification for the 1994 World Cup — is indelibly burned on Japanese soccer's consciousness.
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 14, 2008
Japan earns easy win
KOBE — Japan warmed up for next week's crunch World Cup qualifier against Qatar with a straightforward 3-1 friendly win over Syria on Thursday night.
Japan Times
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 13, 2008
Unsung heroes deserve spotlight
Gamba Osaka's Asian Champions League win may not be greeted with the same fanfare that heralded Urawa Reds' groundbreaking triumph in last year's edition, but then understated elegance has always been Gamba's style.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 9, 2008
Suganuma, Popo trigger Reysol rally against Grampus
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — A late two-goal salvo from Minoru Suganuma and Popo put a huge dent in Nagoya Grampus' J. League championship aspirations as Kashiwa Reysol came from behind to beat Dragan Stojkovic's title-chasing side 2-1 on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Nov 2, 2008
Trinita capture Nabisco Cup for first-ever title
Oita Trinita's fairy tale season continued with a 2-0 Nabisco Cup final win over Shimizu S-Pulse on Saturday to give the modest Kyushu club its first-ever silverware.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Nov 1, 2008
Oita Trinita's style lacks flair but produces results
When the season began back in March, only a fool would have predicted that Oita Trinita would go into November preparing for a cup final just two points off the top of the J. League table.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Oct 26, 2008
Marinos pick up valuable points in quest to remain in J1
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref. — Three-time J. League champion Yokohama F. Marinos took a big step toward first-division survival with a 3-1 win over Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday, while Nagoya Grampus' bid for a first-ever championship hit a snag with a 0-0 draw against Jubilo Iwata.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Oct 23, 2008
Inukai ready to face new challenges as president of JFA
On July 12, Motoaki Inukai became president of the Japan Football Association, bypassing four JFA vice presidents and one general secretary to land the most powerful job in Japanese soccer.
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.
For Dr. Nakamats, aging is just experience in action
Though he didn't win the recent gubernatorial election in Tokyo, the 96-year-old Dr. Nakamats' run was seen as inspirational in Japan's aging society.

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

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world
mission sustainability vol.12 : Kose Corp.Kose takes pride in creating beauty in the world

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