FC Tokyo striker Kazuma Watanabe is excited to be leading a new wave of Japanese goal scorers in the race for this season's J. League golden boot, but that does not mean he is about to sit back and let his countrymen beat him to the prize.
Watanabe was on target twice in Tokyo's 2-0 win over Oita Trinita last weekend to take his tally to 14 goals for the season, lifting him to the top of a scoring chart in which only three of the leading 12 players are imports.
Watanabe's goals have helped Tokyo climb to sixth place in the league table heading into Saturday's game against Kawasaki Frontale, but with the likes of Yoshito Okubo, Hisato Sato and Yohei Toyoda breathing down his neck, the 27-year-old knows there can be no let-up if he wants to be crowned king of the marksmen come the end of the season.