Yokohama F. Marinos said Friday they have fired manager Kazushi Kimura following the club's loss in the Emperor's Cup semifinals to second-division team Kyoto Sanga.
Kimura, 53, will be replaced by 50-year-old coach Yasuhiro Higuchi.
Kimura, who greeted players at the clubhouse Friday morning after Marinos' 4-2 extra-time defeat to Sanga the previous day, was given notice of his termination by team president Akira Kaetsu after the match.
"I wanted to win this title for the players," Kimura said. "I am sorry that I wasn't able to provide the leadership to achieve that result."