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September 05, 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
TENNIS
Apr 18, 2015
Japan, Belarus tied after opening day of Fed Cup World Group II playoff
Kurumi Nara won her singles match to cancel out former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka's victory in the opening rubber as Japan and Belarus ended the first day of their Fed Cup World Group II playoff on Saturday tied at 1-1.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Apr 14, 2015
Thais flock to Japan for holiday, ignore freeze on flight increases
Thai tourists took advantage of a weaker yen and relaxed visa restrictions to flock to Japan over the three-day Songkran holiday ending Wednesday, but a temporary freeze on Thai flight increases to the country was likely to impact numbers.
SOCCER / J. League
Apr 12, 2015
Chelsea target Muto sends FC Tokyo joint-top of J. League table
Chelsea target Yoshinori Muto lived up to his billing with the winning goal as FC Tokyo beat Shonan Bellmare 1-0 on Sunday to move joint-top of the J. League table.
Japan Times
Rugby
Apr 4, 2015
Brave Blossoms qualify for Tokyo Sevens quarterfinals
Japan came through a group including France, Samoa and Argentina to advance to the quarterfinals of a Sevens World Series tournament for the first time since 2000 at the Tokyo Sevens on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Apr 1, 2015
Halilhodzic warns against complacency after Uzbekistan rout
New national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic hailed his players' efforts after Tuesday's 5-1 thrashing of Uzbekistan, but warned they will have to prove themselves all over again when he picks his next squad.
MORE SPORTS
Mar 31, 2015
Japan trounces Uzbekistan in friendly
Japan turned on the style to sweep Uzbekistan aside 5-1 on Tuesday night and give new manager Vahid Halilhodzic the perfect start with two wins out of two.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Mar 25, 2015
Halilhodzic gets to work as Japan starts from scratch again
The short, unhappy reign of former national team manager Javier Aguirre has cast a long shadow over Japanese soccer, but replacement Vahid Halilhodzic will care for nothing but the future when he leads the team out for the first time on Friday.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 22, 2015
Hyodo leads Marinos to first victory of season
Shingo Hyodo pounced in the 81st minute to give Yokohama F. Marinos their first win of the J. League season with a 1-0 victory over Sagan Tosu on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS
Mar 19, 2015
Halilhodzic passes over Endo for national team
New national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic called up Kensuke Nagai and Takashi Usami, but appeared to bring the curtain down on record cap-holder Yasuhito Endo's Japan career as he named his first squad on Thursday.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 14, 2015
Abe strikes late as Reds top Montedio
Captain Yuki Abe slammed home an 83rd-minute piledriver to give Urawa Reds maximum points from their opening two games of the J. League season with a 1-0 win over Montedio Yamagata on Saturday.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 13, 2015
Halilhodzic confident of getting Japan back on track
New national team manager Vahid Halilhodzic believes he is the man to revive Japan's flagging fortunes, but warns the transformation from Asian Cup flops to World Cup hopefuls will not happen overnight.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Mar 12, 2015
JFA confirms Halilhodzic as new national team manager
The Japan Football Association officially named Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic as Japan's new national team manager on Thursday.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 7, 2015
Frontale dominate opener against F. Marinos
J. League
SOCCER / J. League / 2015 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 6, 2015
Gamba aiming to stay clear of chasing pack
The following is the second of a two-part preview for the upcoming J. League season. Team-by-team previews of the nine highest-ranking teams competing in the first division are listed.
SOCCER / J. League / 2015 J. LEAGUE PREVIEW
Mar 5, 2015
Vissel eyeing J. League upset
The following is the first of a two-part preview for the upcoming J. League season. Team-by-team previews of the nine lowest-ranking teams competing in the first division are listed.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 4, 2015
Gamba looking for more success after glittering 2014
Gamba Osaka surpassed all expectations by winning the treble last season, but manager Kenta Hasegawa believes there is still room for improvement in 2015.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 3, 2015
Goal hero Yamagishi determined to keep Montedio up
Norihiro Yamagishi is happy to keep talking about the goal he scored to put Montedio Yamagata into last season's J. League promotion playoff final, but the goalkeeper would rather discuss what his team can achieve in its return to the first division.
SOCCER / J. League
Mar 2, 2015
Dethroned Sanfrecce looking to reclaim J. League title
Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager Hajime Moriyasu believes his team paid the price for its own success in failing to land a third straight J. League title last season, but the 46-year-old insists that this year will be different.
Japan Times
SOCCER / J. League
Feb 28, 2015
Gamba blank Reds to usher in season
Gamba Osaka added another title to their bulging collection with a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds in the Fuji Xerox Super Cup on Saturday.
SOCCER
Feb 17, 2015
Reysol triumph in extra time against Thai side Chonburi FC
Brazilian striker Leandro scored a 116th-minute winner to send Kashiwa Reysol into the Asian Champions League group stage after shaking off Thai Premier League side Chonburi FC 3-2 in extra time on Tuesday night.
Surrounded by Chinese bases, a tiny Philippine island stands firm
A Philippine Navy sailor looks at a China Coast Guard vessel just off the coast of Pag-asa Island in the disputed South China Sea last month.
Anger in Japan after Instagrammer drinks burial site offering
Foreign tourists visit a park near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo in August.
Tamagotchi hatches 100 million shipments worldwide thanks to ’90s nostalgia
The latest version of Tamagotchi, called Tamagotchi Paradise, is awarded the best digital toy at Tokyo Toy Show on Aug. 28.
Bangladesh is a South Asian time bomb
Many Bangladeshis hoped that the overthrow of long-time leader Sheikh Hasina last year would revitalize the country’s democracy after an authoritarian lurch under the “iron lady.” Instead it has led to proliferating human-rights abuses, intensifying repression and widespread Islamist violence.
Musk voices support for anti-immigration rally in Japan
Elon Musk has voiced support for anti-immigration protest in Japan, where a "Japanese First" party saw gains in recent elections.
Xi — joined by Kim and Putin — delivers stark warning at military parade
Chinese leader Xi Jinping walks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un before a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japan and the end of World War II, in Beijing on Wednesday.
Tamagotchi hatches 100 million shipments worldwide thanks to ’90s nostalgia
The latest version of Tamagotchi, called Tamagotchi Paradise, is awarded the best digital toy at Tokyo Toy Show on Aug. 28.
Why Stalin didn’t invade Hokkaido still largely unknown, 80 years after WWII
During a survey to collect the remains of victims from the Taito Maru, one of the vessels involved in the Three Ships Incident, a metal helmet was found near the stern of the vessel on Aug. 5, 1984, at Rumoi Port. No human remains were discovered.
More sweltering days forecast for September after hottest summer on record
By the end of August, 8,341 people had been transported by ambulance for heatstroke in Tokyo alone.
Surrounded by Chinese bases, a tiny Philippine island stands firm
A Philippine Navy sailor looks at a China Coast Guard vessel just off the coast of Pag-asa Island in the disputed South China Sea last month.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
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From ashes to high-rises: A survivor’s account of Tokyo’s postwar past
By Alex K.T. Martin

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