Andrew MCKIRDY - The Japan Times

September 03, 2025

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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

Rugby

Mar 24, 2018

Chiefs crush winless Sunwolves

The Sunwolves failed to pick up their first win of the Super Rugby season on Saturday in a 61-10 thrashing by New Zealand's Chiefs.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Mar 21, 2018

Halilhodzic leaves door open as World Cup draws closer

Japan's squad for this summer's World Cup appears to be taking shape, but don't bet against manager Vahid Halilhodzic ripping up the blueprint before he submits it in time for the June 4 deadline.

SOCCER

Mar 15, 2018

Halilhodzic reveals roster for upcoming friendlies

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic on Thursday warned World Cup qualifying heroes Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi to force their way onto their club teams or risk missing out on this summer's tournament in Russia as he named his squad for two friendly matches in Europe.

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 10, 2018

Sagan keep Marinos winless

Sagan Tosu beat Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1 on Saturday to keep former Australia manager Ange Postecoglou waiting for his first J. League win.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 7, 2018

Surprise names fly out blocks with two wins

A good start can be a precious commodity in the J. League, and the three teams with perfect records after two games of the new season will be satisfied with their work so far.

Japan Times

Rugby

Mar 3, 2018

Rebels stick it to Sunwolves

The Sunwolves fell to their second defeat of the Super Rugby season on Saturday after collapsing early in the second half in a 37-17 loss to Australia's Rebels.

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 22, 2018

Sagan, Vissel meet in opener as teams aim for Frontale's crown

The 2018 J. League season kicks off with just one fixture on Friday, but every club in the 18-team division will get the chance to throw down the gauntlet to defending champions Kawasaki Frontale before the weekend is over.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 21, 2018

'No regrets' as Ange Postecoglou swaps World Cup for J. League challenge with Marinos

New Yokohama F. Marinos manager Ange Postecoglou has "no regrets" about quitting Australia's national team just months before the World Cup and is looking forward to testing his mettle in the J. League instead.

Japan Times

OLYMPICS

Feb 7, 2018

Metro government says Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic venue construction on schedule

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is building seven new permanent venues for the games, including the Musashino Forest Sport Plaza badminton and modern pentathlon fencing arena.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Jan 31, 2018

J. League teams gearing up for early season start

With the J. League preparing for its earliest-ever opening to a season, teams around the league are busy putting in the work ahead of the Feb. 23 kickoff.

Japan Times

Rugby

Jan 17, 2018

Wales hoping to win new friends at Rugby World Cup

The Wales national rugby team wants to "do more than just turn up, have a great time and then disappear" during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, and plans to forge a lasting relationship with the city of Kitakyushu.

SOCCER

Dec 26, 2017

Takefusa Kubo left out for AFC U-23 Championship

Japan Olympic men's soccer team manager Hajime Moriyasu on Tuesday left former Barcelona youth team starlet Takefusa Kubo out of his squad for next month's AFC U-23 Championship in a bid to keep him fresh for next season.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Dec 20, 2017

East Asian tournament provides few clues for World Cup

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic may have learned a great deal from last week's E-1 Football Championship, but it is open to question how much it will benefit him at next summer's World Cup in Russia.

SOCCER

Dec 17, 2017

Vahid Halilhodzic looks to bright side after Japan fails to capture E-1 Football Championship title

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic declared Japan's performance at the E-1 Football Championship a success despite missing out on the title with a 4-1 defeat to South Korea on Saturday.

SOCCER

Dec 16, 2017

South Korea crushes Japan in E-1 Football Championship final

Japan failed to win the E-1 Football Championship after collapsing 4-1 against South Korea on Saturday on the final day of the tournament.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Dec 13, 2017

After Russia ban, IOC chief confident Tokyo can avoid drug scandal at 2020 Games

International Olympic Committee Vice President John Coates said Wednesday in Tokyo that Japan can be confident of weeding out drug cheats at the 2020 Tokyo Games, in the wake of a doping scandal that led to Russia being banned from next year's Pyeongchang Olympics.

Japan Times

SOCCER

Dec 13, 2017

Japan's World Cup hopefuls seize chance in win over China

Japan's third-string players are forcing their way into World Cup contention with their performances at the E-1 Football Championship, according to manager Vahid Halilhodzic.

SOCCER

Dec 12, 2017

Yu Kobayashi, Gen Shoji spark Japan in triumph over China at E-1 Football Championship

Japan scored twice in the final six minutes to beat China 2-1 on Tuesday and make it two wins out of two at the E-1 Football Championship.

SOCCER

Dec 10, 2017

Debutants Kosuke Nakamura, Junya Ito catch manager's eye during Japan's victory over North Korea

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic singled out young debutants Kosuke Nakamura and Junya Ito for praise after Japan kicked off its E-1 Football Championship campaign with a fortunate 1-0 win over North Korea on Saturday.

SOCCER

Dec 9, 2017

Japan's Yosuke Ideguchi scores winning goal against North Korea in injury time

Yosuke Ideguchi scored with virtually the last kick of the game to give Japan a 1-0 win over North Korea on Saturday in its opening game of the E-1 Football Championship.

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.

Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Tetsuzo Shiraishi, speaking at The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage, uses a thermos to explain how he experienced the U.S. firebombing of March 1945, when he was just 7 years old.

From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past

By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 6th annual Sustainable Japan Award.

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