Akira Kaji

Akira Kaji
加地亮
	Kaji with Gamba Osaka in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Akira Kaji
Date of birth	13 January 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth	Minamiawaji, Hyogo, Japan
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1995–1997	Takigawa Daini High School
Senior career*
Years	Team
1998–1999	Cerezo Osaka
2000–2001	Oita Trinita
2002–2005	FC Tokyo
2006–2014	Gamba Osaka
2014	Chivas USA
2015–2017	Fagiano Okayama
Total
International career
1998–1999	Japan U20
2003–2008	Japan
Medal record
FC Tokyo
Gamba Osaka
Representing Japan
AFC Asian Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
AFC U-19 Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Akira Kaji (加地亮, Kaji Akira, born 13 January 1980) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a defender. He last played for Japan national team until 2008.

Club career

After graduating from Takigawa Daini High School, Kaji joined Cerezo Osaka in 1998. He made his first league appearance on 25 July 1998 against Avispa Fukuoka. At the club, he found it difficult to break into the first team and was loaned out to J2 League side Oita Trinita at the start of the 2000 season.

After spending two years at Oita, Kaji came back to J1 League in 2002 to play for FC 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 Reds 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 Best XI. The club won the champions 2007 J.League Cup, 2008 and 2009 Emperor's Cup. In Asia, the club won the champions 2008 AFC Champions League and the 3rd place 2008 Club World Cup. From 2012, his opportunity to play decreased for injury.

After eight years with Gamba Osaka, Kaji signed with Major League Soccer club Chivas USA on 24 June 2014.^[3] However, the club was disbanded in 2014, he returned to Japan and joined Fagiano Okayama in 2015. He retired end of 2017 season.

International career

Kaji was a member of the Japan U20 national team for the 1999 World Youth Championship finals where the team finished runners-up.

He gained his first cap for Japan national team when national coach Zico played him on 8 October 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 which won the 2004 AFC Asian Cup in China.^[4] In a 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup against Brazil, his goal was disallowed by a controversial offside decision.^[5] His first goal for the country finally came on 17 August 2005 in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification against Iran.^[6]

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.^[7] Zico considered his replacement but decided to keep him. He missed Japan's first game in the tournament against Australia with Yuichi 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 picked 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 20 May 2008, he announced retirement from international football. He played 64 games and scored 2 goals for Japan until 2008.^[8]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition^[9]^[10]^[11]
Club	Season	League		Emperor's Cup		J.League Cup		Continental^[a]		Total
Club	Season	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cerezo Osaka	1998	15	0	1	0	1	1	–		17	1
Cerezo Osaka	1999	9	0	0	0	0	0	–		9	0
Oita Trinita	2000	34	3	2	0	1	0	–		37	3
Oita Trinita	2001	41	0	2	0	4	0	–		47	0
FC Tokyo	2002	20	1	1	0	6	0	–		27	1
	2003	22	0	2	0	6	0	–		30	0
	2004	22	0	3	0	1	0	–		26	0
	2005	25	0	2	0	0	0	–		27	0
Gamba Osaka	2006	29	1	5	1	0	0	5	0	39	2
	2007	28	1	4	1	6	0	–		38	2
	2008	26	0	5	0	4	0	11	0	43	0
	2009	20	0	5	1	0	0	1	0	26	1
	2010	32	0	2	0	2	0	6	0	42	0
	2011	30	0	1	0	0	0	6	0	37	0
	2012	16	0	5	0	1	0	5	0	27	0
	2013	38	0	2	0	–		–		40	0
	2014	6	0	0	0	0	0	–		6	0
Fagiano Okayama	2015	36	0	1	0	–		–		37	0
	2016	26	1	0	0	–		–		26	1
	2017	24	0	0	0	–		–		24	0
Career total		499	7	38	3	32	1	34	0	608	11

^ Includes AFC Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year^[8]
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2003	1	0
	2004	20	0
	2005	14	1
	2006	14	0
	2007	11	1
	2008	4	0
Total		64	2

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kaji goal.

List of international goals scored by Akira Kaji
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	17 August 2005	Yokohama, Japan	Iran		2–1	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	17 October 2007	Osaka, Japan	Egypt		4–1	2007 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations

Honors

Japan

AFC Asian Cup – 2004
FIFA World Youth Championship – 1999 (Runner-up)

Individual

J.League Best XI – 2006

References

^ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
^ "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 Presented By TOYOTA — List Of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008.
^ mlssoccer.com
^ afcasiancup.com^{[permanent dead link‍]}
^ Brazil Squeaks Past Japan | World Cup 2006 | Deutsche Welle | 22.06.2005
^ Japan National Team: WC2006 Qualification Match (Iran)
^ BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Japan | Zico furious with Schweinsteiger
^ ^a ^b "Japan National Football Team Database". Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 176 out of 289)
^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 199 out of 289)
^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 2015 (NSK MOOK)", 14 February 2015, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411246 (p. 183 out of 298)

External links

Akira Kaji – FIFA competition record (archived)
Akira Kaji at National-Football-Teams.com
Japan National Football Team Database
Akira Kaji at J.League (archive) (in Japanese)
Profile at Fagiano Okayama
Akira Kaji at Soccerway

[12] Includes AFC Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup

[1] "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players: Japan" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.

[FCWC_2008-2] "FIFA Club World Cup Japan 2008 Presented By TOYOTA — List Of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 December 2008.

[3] ssoccer.com

[4] siancup.com^{[permanent dead link‍]}

[5] Brazil Squeaks Past Japan | World Cup 2006 | Deutsche Welle | 22.06.2005

[6] Japan National Team: WC2006 Qualification Match (Iran)

[7] BBC SPORT | Football | World Cup 2006 | Teams | Japan | Zico furious with Schweinsteiger

[JNFTD-8] "Japan National Football Team Database". Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2018.

[9] Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 176 out of 289)

[10] Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 199 out of 289)

[11] Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 2015 (NSK MOOK)", 14 February 2015, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411246 (p. 183 out of 298)

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