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.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Nov 2, 2016

Four teams battling to avoid drop on final day of J. League regular season

While Urawa Reds and Kawasaki Frontale battle to clinch the top seed for the J. League Championship on the final day of the regular season on Thursday, a more decisive tussle will be going on at the other end of the table.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 29, 2016

Frontale keep pressure on Reds

Kawasaki Frontale ensured that the race for the J. League Championship top seed will go down to the final day of the regular season after a 1-0 win over Kashima Antlers on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 26, 2016

Stress-free Nakamura eyes title for Frontale

Kawasaki Frontale playmaker Kengo Nakamura has credited a newfound selfish streak for his resurgent form this season and is hoping to ride it all the way to the club's first J. League title.

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Oct 21, 2016

WADA chief Reedie calls on Abe to provide more funding to fight doping

World Anti-Doping Agency President Craig Reedie challenged Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to put his money where his mouth is and increase Japan's funding in the fight against doping on Friday.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 21, 2016

Tokyo governor vows to use 2020 Games to tackle demands of graying society

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike vowed Friday to use the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics to create a city that can cope with the demands of a rapidly aging population.

JAPAN

Oct 20, 2016

Four-time Olympic gold medal-winner Icho awarded People's Honor

Four-time Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Kaori Icho was awarded the People's Honor Award by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 20, 2016

IOC chief Bach vows 'very significant reduction' in cost of Tokyo 2020 Games

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach vowed Thursday to produce "a very significant reduction in costs" for the 2020 Tokyo Games, which he predicts will bring "a transformational moment for all of Japan."

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 19, 2016

IOC president rejects Koike's calls to expand new Olympic cost-cutting group

Thomas Bach turns aside the Tokyo governor's suggestion to expand a group set up Tuesday to review rising costs for the games.

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 15, 2016

Reds capture J. League Cup

Urawa Reds claimed their first trophy since 2007 after beating Gamba Osaka 5-4 on penalties to lift the J. League Cup following a 1-1 draw in Saturday's final.

Japan Times

Rugby

Oct 14, 2016

Rugby chief fears Olympics leaving 2019 World Cup in shade

World Rugby chief Brett Gosper admits he is concerned that the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are shunting the 2019 Rugby World Cup into the shadows just three years before Japan hosts the event.

Japan Times

JAPAN

Oct 12, 2016

Miyagi governor bullish on hosting Olympic events

The prefecture's leader, despite a u2018negative' meeting with the 2020 Games' organizing committee, expresses confidence.

TENNIS

Oct 9, 2016

Kyrgios overcomes rough start against Goffin en route to Japan Open title

Big-serving Australian Nick Kyrgios came back from a set down to capture the Japan Open title with a 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 win over Belgium's David Goffin in Sunday's final.

Japan Times

TENNIS

Oct 8, 2016

Goffin, Kyrgios roll into Japan Open final

Belgium's David Goffin set up a Japan Open final showdown with Australian Nick Kyrgios after beating Croatia's Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-4 in Saturday's semifinal.

Japan Times

TENNIS

Oct 7, 2016

Crafty Kyrgios conquers Muller, advances to Japan Open semis

Australian world No. 15 Nick Kyrgios showcased the full range of his mercurial talents to reach the Japan Open semifinals with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Luxembourg's Gilles Muller on Friday.

JAPAN

Oct 7, 2016

800,000 people crowd Tokyo to celebrate Olympians, Paralympians

An estimated 800,000 spectators thronged the streets of Tokyo on Friday to celebrate Japan's Rio Olympic and Paralympic medal-winning athletes in an open-top parade.

Japan Times

SOCCER / World cup

Oct 7, 2016

Halilhodzic toasts Japan after dramatic win over Iraq

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic believes his players "deserve two glasses of champagne" after Thursday's dramatic 2-1 World Cup-qualifying win over Iraq, but warned they will have to sharpen up at set pieces before they take on Australia on Tuesday.

SOCCER

Oct 6, 2016

Birthday boy Yamaguchi lifts Japan with dramatic late goal against Iraq

Substitute Hotaru Yamaguchi volleyed in an injury-time winner to jolt Japan's bid to reach a sixth straight World Cup into life with a 2-1 victory over Iraq on Thursday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Oct 5, 2016

Match-rusty Japan left with little margin for error in qualifiers

National team manager Vahid Halilhodzic last week bridled at suggestions that he is making excuses for Japan's underwhelming start to the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers. But there will be no place to hide if the Samurai Blue slip further off the pace after games against Iraq and Australia over...

SOCCER / J. League

Oct 2, 2016

Reds stroll past Gamba

Urawa Reds moved top of the overall J. League table and exorcized a few demons along the way with a 4-0 win over Gamba Osaka on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Sep 28, 2016

Second-stage title hopefuls battling for playoff berth

Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Reds joined Kashima Antlers in clinching a place in the J. League Championship last Sunday, but this weekend's action will go a long way toward deciding if any more teams join them.

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

Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo

Foreign wrestlers have a long history in sumo

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