Andrew MCKIRDY - The Japan Times

September 07, 2025

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

Andrew MCKIRDY

Meta

Twitter

@Andrew_McKirdy

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

Apr 4, 2010

Nakamura, Kurihara hurt in loss to S-Pulse

Shinji Okazaki struck twice, Shunsuke Nakamura limped off midway through the first half and Shimizu S-Pulse held off a frantic late onslaught to beat Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1 on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Apr 1, 2010

Just business as usual for league-leading Antlers

If Kashima Antlers' rivals were hoping the champions' thirst for success had been quenched by three straight championships, the first month of the new campaign suggests otherwise.

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 28, 2010

S-Pulse waste opportunity against fatigued Frontale

Shimizu S-Pulse failed to take advantage of Kawasaki Frontale's early-season fatigue in a flat 0-0 draw on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Mar 25, 2010

Honda breathes life into Japan's World Cup aspirations

When Keisuke Honda arrived at Narita airport late last month for Japan's Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain, he insisted he was "no savior" for a national team that had seriously lost its way. But with every impressive performance he gives, the 23-year-old is finding it harder to get people to listen....

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 21, 2010

Osako's late heroics lift Antlers over Ardija

SAITAMA — Teenage substitute Yuya Osako scored with his first touch less than a minute after coming off the bench to give Kashima Antlers a 1-0 win over Omiya Ardija on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League / J. LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 18, 2010

Flying start suggests Frontale finally mean business

Received wisdom dictates that a league table is not even worth looking at until two months of a new season have passed, but one glance after just two weeks of this year's J. League campaign says plenty about Kawasaki Frontale.

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 14, 2010

Nakamura relishes win in long-awaited return to Marinos

YOKOHAMA — Shunsuke Nakamura enjoyed a winning return to the J. League as Yokohama F. Marinos cruised past Shonan Bellmare 3-0 on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 7, 2010

Antlers show class against Reds

KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. — Kashima Antlers gave yet another example of their pedigree as the defending champions opened the new J. League season with a masterful 2-0 win over Urawa Reds on Saturday.

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 4, 2010

Stojkovic hopeful newcomers will bolster Grampus

With every year that passes in his tenure as manager of Nagoya Grampus, the stakes Dragan Stojkovic has to play with just keep getting higher. But if the Serbian is feeling the pressure as he prepares to begin his third season at the helm against Gamba Osaka this weekend, his poker face is a good one....

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 3, 2010

Frontale placing hopes on Inamoto

If there was a certain inevitability about the way Kawasaki Frontale failed to win their first piece of major silverware last season, it did not go unnoticed by anyone at the Kanagawa club.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Mar 2, 2010

Finke's vision slowly taking root at Urawa

Volker Finke knew his job was not going to be easy when he took over as manager of Urawa Reds last season, and so it proved.

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 28, 2010

Endo's miss helps Antlers top Gamba in Fuji Xerox Super Cup shootout

A rare penalty miss from Yasuhito Endo handed Kashima Antlers the Fuji Xerox Super Cup with a 5-3 shootout win after a 1-1 regulation-time draw on Saturday.

Japan Times

SOCCER / J. League

Feb 27, 2010

Oliveira says Antlers hungry for another title

Kashima Antlers manager Oswaldo Oliveira insists success has left his record-breaking team hungrier than ever, and intends to prove the point in Saturday's Fuji Xerox Super Cup against Gamba Osaka.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Feb 18, 2010

Time for Okada to step back and take stock

National team manager Takeshi Okada vowed to get straight back in the saddle after his public dressing-down on Monday. After the beating he has just taken, a period of quiet reflection might be a better option.

SOCCER / World cup

Feb 16, 2010

Okada escapes sack

Under-fire national team manager Takeshi Okada will lead Japan at the World Cup after surviving showdown talks with Japan Football Association president Motoaki Inukai on Monday.

SOCCER / World cup

Feb 15, 2010

Japan blows chance to win E. Asian title

Japan had to settle for third place in the four-nation East Asian Football Championship after a frantic, incident-packed 3-1 defeat to South Korea on Sunday.

SOCCER / World cup

Feb 12, 2010

Tamada guides Japan to 3-0 win over Hong Kong

Japan overcame its dry patch in front of goal but still made heavy weather of a 3-0 win over minnows Hong Kong in the East Asian Football Championship on Thursday.

SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE

Feb 11, 2010

Action, not words, needed to save Japan from humiliation

Given the empty rhetoric that has come to characterize his reign as national team manager, it was no surprise to hear Takeshi Okada attempting to put a positive spin on Japan's dismal 0-0 draw with China last weekend.

SOCCER / World cup

Feb 7, 2010

Opportunistic Narazaki ensures draw for Japan

Seigo Narazaki saved Japan's blushes with a late penalty stop to salvage a 0-0 draw with China in the opening game of the East Asian Football Championship on Saturday.

SOCCER / World cup

Feb 6, 2010

Okada wants to see players' fighting spirit

National team manager Takeshi Okada has warned his players they will be fighting for their World Cup lives at the East Asian Football Championship over the coming week.

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.

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports