Akira Kaji
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional football player. He is a specialist on the right-hand side of the pitch playing as a full back or a wide midfielder
. He currently plays for J. League
side Gamba Osaka
.
in 1998. He made his first league appearance on July 25, 1998 against Avispa Fukuoka
. At the club, he found it difficult to break into the first team and was loaned out to J. League Division 2 side Oita Trinita
at the start of the 2000 season.
After spending 2 years at Oita, Kaji came back to Division 1 in 2002 to play for F.C. Tokyo. The manager Hiromi Hara
made him a regular and assigned a more attacking role. His club won the 2004 J. League Cup
by beating Urawa Red Diamonds
in the final which ended 0-0 after the extra time. The penalty shoot-out was required and his successful conversion as the last penalty taker for Tokyo finally broke the deadlock.
He was transferred to Gamba Osaka at the beginning of the 2006 season and scored in the beginning league match against Urawa Reds. He was selected as a member of the 2006 J-League Team of the Year.
finals where the team finished runners-up.
He gained his first cap for Japan
when national coach Zico
played him on October 8, 2003 in a friendly against Tunisia
. He was rated highly by Zico who made him the first-choice right full-back. He was a member of the Japan team who won the 2004 Asian Cup in China
. In a 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup against Brazil, his goal was disallowed by a controversial offside decision. His first goal for the country finally came on August 17, 2005 in a World Cup qualifier against Iran
.
He made the final squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
finals. In a preparation match against Germany
just before the tournament, he injured his ankle when tackled by Bastian Schweinsteiger
. Zico considered his replacement but decided to keep him. He missed Japan's first game in the tournament against Australia with Yūichi Komano
filling in for his place, but he returned to the team and played in the rest of the competition.
After the 2006 World Cup, Zico was replaced by Ivica Osim
who also regularly picks him for the national team. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
and played all the Japan games in the tournament.
On May 20, 2008 he announced retirement from international football.
|-
|1998
||rowspan="2"|Cerezo Osaka
||J. League
||15||0||1||0||1||1||colspan="2"|-||17||1
|-
|1999
||J. League Division 1
||9||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||9||0
|-
|2000
||rowspan="2"|Oita Trinita
||rowspan="2"|J. League Division 2
||34||3||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||37||3
|-
|2001
||41||0||2||0||4||0||colspan="2"|-||47||0
|-
|2002
||rowspan="4"|F.C. Tokyo||rowspan="9"|J. League Division 1||20||1||1||0||6||0||colspan="2"|-||27||1
|-
|2003
||22||0||2||0||6||0||colspan="2"|-||30||0
|-
|2004
||22||0||3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||26||0
|-
|2005
||25||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||27||0
|-
|2006
||rowspan="5"|Gamba Osaka
||29||1||5||1||0||0||5||0||39||2
|-
|2007
||28||1||4||1||6||0||colspan="2"|-||38||2
|-
|2008
||26||0||5||0||4||0||8||0||43||0
|-
|2009
||20||0||5||1||0||0||1||0||26||1
|-
|2010||||||||||||||||||||
291||6||32||3||29||1||14||0||366||10
|-
|2003||1||0
|-
|2004||20||0
|-
|2005||14||1
|-
|2006||14||0
|-
|2007||11||1
|-
|2008||4||0
|-
!Total||64||2
|}
National Team
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional football player. He is a specialist on the right-hand side of the pitch playing as a full back or a wide midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
. He currently plays for J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
side Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka
is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70...
.
Club
After graduating from Takigawa Daini High School, Kaji joined Cerezo OsakaCerezo Osaka
is a J. League Division 1 association football team. The team name Cerezo means cherry tree in Spanish, which is also the flower of Ōsaka city....
in 1998. He made his first league appearance on July 25, 1998 against Avispa Fukuoka
Avispa Fukuoka
For the record label, see Avispa. is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1 having been promoted from J. League Division 2 in the 2010 season. The team is located in Hakata, Fukuoka. "Avispa" means "wasp" in Spanish.-In Fujieda:The club was founded as...
. At the club, he found it difficult to break into the first team and was loaned out to J. League Division 2 side Oita Trinita
Oita Trinita
is a J. League Division 2 team. The team name Trinita can be considered either a combination of the English word trinity and Ōita, or the Italian word trinità. The dual meaning expresses the will of the citizens, companies, and local governments to support the team.The team's home town is Ōita...
at the start of the 2000 season.
After spending 2 years at Oita, Kaji came back to Division 1 in 2002 to play for F.C. Tokyo. The manager Hiromi Hara
Hiromi Hara
is a retired Japanese football player. He currently serves as technical director for the Japanese national football team.-Playing career:After graduating from Waseda University in 1981, Hara joined Mitsubishi Heavy Industries F.C. as a forward.Between 1978 and 1988 Hara played 75 games for the...
made him a regular and assigned a more attacking role. His club won the 2004 J. League Cup
J. League Cup
J. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...
by beating Urawa Red Diamonds
Urawa Red Diamonds
are a professional association football club playing in Japan's football league, J. League Division 1. One of Japan and Asia's best supported teams, the club has been able to boast the highest average crowds for thirteen of the J-League's twenty season history...
in the final which ended 0-0 after the extra time. The penalty shoot-out was required and his successful conversion as the last penalty taker for Tokyo finally broke the deadlock.
He was transferred to Gamba Osaka at the beginning of the 2006 season and scored in the beginning league match against Urawa Reds. He was selected as a member of the 2006 J-League Team of the Year.
International
He was a member of the Japan team for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship1999 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:...
finals where the team finished runners-up.
He gained his first cap for Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
when national coach Zico
Zico
Arthur Antunes Coimbra , better known as Zico , is a Brazilian coach and former footballer. He is the current head coach of the Iraq national football team. Often called the "White Pelé", he is commonly considered one of the most skilled finishers and one of the best passers ever and possibly the...
played him on October 8, 2003 in a friendly against Tunisia
Tunisia national football team
The Tunisia national football team , nicknamed Les Aigles de Carthage , is the national team of Tunisia and is controlled by the Fédération Tunisienne de Football. They have qualified for four FIFA World Cups, the first one in 1978, but have yet to make it out of the first round...
. He was rated highly by Zico who made him the first-choice right full-back. He was a member of the Japan team who won the 2004 Asian Cup in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. In a 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup against Brazil, his goal was disallowed by a controversial offside decision. His first goal for the country finally came on August 17, 2005 in a World Cup qualifier against Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
.
He made the final squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
finals. In a preparation match against Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
just before the tournament, he injured his ankle when tackled by Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bastian Schweinsteiger is a German footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bayern Munich and the German national team. A right-footed player, he is capable of playing out wide or in a more central role....
. Zico considered his replacement but decided to keep him. He missed Japan's first game in the tournament against Australia with Yūichi Komano
Yuichi Komano
is a Japanese football player. He plays for J. League division 1 side Júbilo Iwata. He is right-footed and mainly plays right full back for the club but he is often employed in the left for Japan national football team.-Playing career:...
filling in for his place, but he returned to the team and played in the rest of the competition.
After the 2006 World Cup, Zico was replaced by Ivica Osim
Ivica Osim
Ivan "Ivica" Osim is a Bosnian former football player and manager. He was most recently head coach of Japan, before he suffered a stroke in November 2007 and left the post...
who also regularly picks him for the national team. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup
2007 AFC Asian Cup
The Asian Football Confederation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup finals were held from July 7 to July 29, 2007. For the first time in its history, the competition was co-hosted by four nations: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The tournament was won by first-time champions Iraq, who defeated Saudi...
and played all the Japan games in the tournament.
On May 20, 2008 he announced retirement from international football.
Club career stats
Last update: 30 January 2010|-
|1998
J. League 1998
Statistics of J. League in the 1998 season.-First stage:-Second stage:- Suntory Championship :-----Relegation playoffs:On the aggregate table, JEF United Ichihara, Avispa Fukuoka, and Vissel Kobe had earned within the 15th-18th places in the tables for both 1997 and 1998, while Consadole Sapporo...
||rowspan="2"|Cerezo Osaka
Cerezo Osaka
is a J. League Division 1 association football team. The team name Cerezo means cherry tree in Spanish, which is also the flower of Ōsaka city....
||J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
||15||0||1||0||1||1||colspan="2"|-||17||1
|-
|1999
J. League 1999
The 1999 season was the 7th season of the J-League Division 1. The league began in March and ended in November.For this year, the division was contested by 16 teams following the folding of Yokohama Flügels and the relegation of Consadole Sapporo to the newly formed Division 2...
||J. League Division 1
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
||9||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||9||0
|-
|2000
J. League 2000
The 2000 season was the 8th season of the J-League Division 1. The league began on March 11 and ended on November 26.At the end of the season the second stage winner Kashima Antlers won the Suntory Championship against Yokohama F-Marinos who won the first stage....
||rowspan="2"|Oita Trinita
Oita Trinita
is a J. League Division 2 team. The team name Trinita can be considered either a combination of the English word trinity and Ōita, or the Italian word trinità. The dual meaning expresses the will of the citizens, companies, and local governments to support the team.The team's home town is Ōita...
||rowspan="2"|J. League Division 2
J. League Division 2
The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...
||34||3||2||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||37||3
|-
|2001
J. League 2001
The 2001 season was the 9th season since the establishment of the J-League. The league began on March 10 and ended on November 24.At the end of the season the second stage winner Kashima Antlers won the Suntory Championship against Jubilo Iwata who won the first stage.-Clubs:Following sixteen clubs...
||41||0||2||0||4||0||colspan="2"|-||47||0
|-
|2002
J. League 2002
The 2002 season was the 10th season since the establishment of the J. League. The league began on March 2, 2002 and ended on November 30, 2002. The Suntory Championship was not held, because Jubilo Iwata was winner of both stages...
||rowspan="4"|F.C. Tokyo||rowspan="9"|J. League Division 1||20||1||1||0||6||0||colspan="2"|-||27||1
|-
|2003
J. League 2003
The 2003 season was the 11th season since the establishment of the J. League. The league began on March 15 and ended on November 29.-Promotion and relegation:* At the end of the 2002 Season, Oita Trinita and Cerezo Osaka were promoted to division 1....
||22||0||2||0||6||0||colspan="2"|-||30||0
|-
|2004
J. League 2004
The 2004 J. League Division 1 season was the 12th season of the J1 League. The league fixture began on March 13, 2004 and ended on December 11, 2004. The Suntory Championship 2004 took place on December 5 and December 11, 2004. The first ever J...
||22||0||3||0||1||0||colspan="2"|-||26||0
|-
|2005
J. League 2005
The 2005 season was the 13th season since the establishment of J. League. It began on March 5 and ended on December 3, followed by promotion/relegation series matches on December 7 and 10.-Promotion and relegation:...
||25||0||2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|-||27||0
|-
|2006
J. League 2006
The 2006 J. League Division 1 season was the 14th season since the establishment of the J. League. It began on March 4 and ended on December 2.-Promotion/relegation:* At the end of the 2005 season, , ,and were promoted to J1....
||rowspan="5"|Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka
is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70...
||29||1||5||1||0||0||5||0||39||2
|-
|2007
J. League 2007
The 2007 J. League Division 1 season was the 15th season since the establishment of the J. League. The season began on March 3 and ended on December 1.-Promotion and relegation:* At the end of the 2006 season, , , and were promoted to J1...
||28||1||4||1||6||0||colspan="2"|-||38||2
|-
|2008
J. League 2008
The 2008 J. League Division 1 season is the 44th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 16th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 8 and ended on December 6....
||26||0||5||0||4||0||8||0||43||0
|-
|2009
J. League 2009
The 2009 J. League Division 1 season is the 45th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 17th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season started on March 7, 2009 and ended on December 5, 2009....
||20||0||5||1||0||0||1||0||26||1
|-
|2010||||||||||||||||||||
291||6||32||3||29||1||14||0||366||10
FIFA Club World Cup Career Statistics
| Season | Team | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 2008 FIFA Club World Cup -Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-----Semi-finals:-----Match for fifth place:-Match for third place:-Final:-Scorers:3 goals Wayne Rooney... |
Gamba Osaka Gamba Osaka is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70... |
3 | 0 |
National team
(Champions)|-
|2003||1||0
|-
|2004||20||0
|-
|2005||14||1
|-
|2006||14||0
|-
|2007||11||1
|-
|2008||4||0
|-
!Total||64||2
|}
Appearances in major competitions
| Team | Competition | Category | Appearances | Goals | Team Record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Sub | |||||
| 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship The 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:... |
Senior | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2nd place | |
| 2003 Confederations Cup 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup The 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup football tournament was the sixth FIFA Confederations Cup, held in France in June 2003. France retained the title they had won in 2001, but the tournament was overshadowed by the death of Cameroon player Marc-Vivien Foé, who died of heart failure in his side's... |
Senior | 0 | Group Stage | |||
| 2004 AFC Asian Cup 2004 AFC Asian Cup The 2004 AFC Asian Cup football competition is the thirteenth staging of AFC Asian Cup. It was held from July 17 to August 7, 2004 in China. The defending champions Japan defeated China in the final in Beijing.... |
Senior | 6 | 0 | 0 | Champions | |
| 2005 Confederations Cup 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup -Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack... |
Senior | 0 | Group Stage | |||
| East Asian Cup 2005 East Asian Cup 2005 -Personal Awards:-Matches Detail:The final tournament started on 31 July, 2005. China won their first ever international title. The next tournament was scheduled for 2008.-------------Personal Awards:-Final standing:-External links:*... |
Senior | 0 | 2nd place | |||
| 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Asia.44 Asian teams are affiliated with FIFA, but Cambodia, Philippines, Bhutan and Brunei decided not to take part, and Myanmar was banned from the competition, so a total of 39 teams took part, competing... |
Senior | 1 | Qualified | |||
| 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... |
Senior | 3 | 0 | 0 | Group Stage | |
Goals for Senior National Team
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | August 17, 2005 | Yokohama Yokohama is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
2-1 | Won | 2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for Asia.44 Asian teams are affiliated with FIFA, but Cambodia, Philippines, Bhutan and Brunei decided not to take part, and Myanmar was banned from the competition, so a total of 39 teams took part, competing... |
|
| 2. | October 17, 2007 | Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
4-1 | Won | 2007 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations Afro-Asian Cup of Nations The Afro-Asian Cup of Nations is played between the winners of the Asian Cup or the Asian Games and the winners of the Africa Cup of Nations. The first edition in 1978, where Iran defeated Ghana 3-0, the trophy was not awarded: because the second leg was cancelled due to political problems in Iran... |
Team Honors
Club- AFC Champions LeagueAFC Champions LeagueThe AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
- 2008AFC Champions League 2008The 2008 AFC Champions League was the 27th AFC Champions League, the top-level Asian club football tournament, and the 6th under the current AFC Champions League title... - Emperor's CupEmperor's Cup, commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...
- 2008Emperor's Cup 2008-Second Round:-Third Round:The 15 J2 teams plus one JFL representative entered at this round.-----------------------------------------------------Fourth Round:...
, 2009 - J. League CupJ. League CupJ. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...
- 2004, 2007J. League Cup 2007The 2007 edition of the J. League Cup sponsored by Nabisco began on March 21 with reigning champions JEF United seeking to claim their 3rd successive crown. This would equal the record set by Verdy Kawasaki when the competition began in 1992. The top 4 teams of each qualifying group automatically... - Japanese Super CupJapanese Super CupThe Japanese Super Cup or is an annual one-match football competition in Japan organised by J. League and the Japan Football Association . This competition serves as the season opener and is played between the J. League Champions and the Emperor's Cup Winners of the previous season...
- 2007
National Team
- AFC Asian CupAFC Asian CupThe AFC Asian Cup is an international association football tournament run by the Asian Football Confederation . It is the second oldest continental football championship in the world after Copa América. The winning team becomes the champion of Asia and automatically qualifies for the FIFA...
- 20042004 AFC Asian CupThe 2004 AFC Asian Cup football competition is the thirteenth staging of AFC Asian Cup. It was held from July 17 to August 7, 2004 in China. The defending champions Japan defeated China in the final in Beijing.... - FIFA World Youth Championship - 19991999 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipThe 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Nigeria between April 3 and April 24, 1999. The 1999 championship was the 12th contested.- Qualification :The following 24 teams qualified for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship.-Squads:...
(Runner-up)