Akira Kaji

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Akira Kaji
Kaji playing for Gamba Osaka in 2010
Personal information
Full name Akira Kaji
Date of birth (1980-01-13) January 13, 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth Minamiawaji, Hyogo, Japan
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+12 in)
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
1995–1997 Takigawa Daini High School
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–1999 Cerezo Osaka 24 (0)
2000–2001 Oita Trinita 75 (3)
2002–2005 FC Tokyo 89 (1)
2006–2014 Gamba Osaka 225 (2)
2014 Chivas USA 15 (0)
2015–2017 Fagiano Okayama 86 (1)
Total 514 (7)
National team
1999 Japan U-20 3 (0)
2003–2008 Japan 64 (2)
Honours
FC Tokyo
Winner J.League Cup 2004
Gamba Osaka
Winner AFC Champions League 2008
Winner J1 League 2014
Runner-up J1 League 2010
Winner J.League Cup 2007
Winner J.League Cup 2014
Winner Emperor's Cup 2008
Winner Emperor's Cup 2009
Winner Emperor's Cup 2014
Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2006
Runner-up Emperor's Cup 2012
Representing  Japan
AFC Asian Cup
Gold medal – first place 2004 China
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Silver medal – second place 1999 Nigeria
AFC U-20 Asian Cup
Silver medal – second place 1998 Thailand
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Akira Kaji (加地 亮, Kaji Akira, born January 13, 1980) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.

Biography[change | change source]

Kaji was born in Minamiawaji on January 13, 1980. After graduating from Takigawa Daini High School, he joined J1 League club Cerezo Osaka in 1998. In 2000, he moved to J2 League club Oita Trinita. He played as regular right side back in 2 seasons. In 2002, he moved to J1 club FC Tokyo. The club won the champions in 2004 J.League Cup which is first major title in the club history. In 2006, he moved to Gamba Osaka. The club won the champions in the 2007 J.League Cup, 2008 and 2009 Emperor's Cup. In Asia, the club won the champions 2008 AFC Champions League and the 3rd place 2008 Club World Cup. He played 225 matches for the club in 9 seasons. In summer 2014. he moved to Major League Soccer club Chivas USA. However, the club was disbanded in 2014, he returned to Japan and joined J2 League club Fagiano Okayama in 2015. He retired end of 2017 season.

Kaji was a member of the Japan U-20 national team for the 1999 World Youth Championship. He played 3 matches and Japan won the 2nd place. On October 8, 2003, Kaji debuted for the Japan national team against Tunisia. He became a regular player as right side back from 2004. In 2004, he was selected Japan for 2004 Asian Cup and Japan won the champions. He also played at 2006 World Cup and 2007 Asian Cup. However his opportunity to play decreased behind young player Atsuto Uchida in 2008. He played 64 games and scored 2 goals for Japan until 2008.

Statistics[change | change source]

[1][2]

Club statistics League CupLeague CupContinentalTotal
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
JapanLeague Emperor's Cup J.League Cup AsiaTotal
1998 Cerezo Osaka J1 League 15 0 1 0 1 1 - 17 1
1999 9 0 0 0 0 0 - 9 0
2000 Oita Trinita J2 League 34 3 2 0 1 0 - 37 3
2001 41 0 2 0 4 0 - 47 0
2002 FC Tokyo J1 League 20 1 1 0 6 0 - 27 1
2003 22 0 2 0 6 0 - 30 0
2004 22 0 3 0 1 0 - 26 0
2005 25 0 2 0 0 0 - 27 0
2006 Gamba Osaka J1 League 29 1 5 1 0 0 5 0 39 2
2007 28 1 4 1 6 0 - 38 2
2008 26 0 5 0 4 0 8 0 43 0
2009 20 0 5 1 0 0 1 0 26 1
2010 32 0 2 0 2 0 6 0 42 0
2011 30 0 1 0 0 0 6 0 37 0
2012 16 0 5 0 1 0 5 0 27 0
2013 J2 League 38 0 2 0 - - 40 0
2014 J1 League 6 0 0 0 0 0 - 6 0
United StatesLeague U.S. Open Cup MLS Cup Playoffs North AmericaTotal
2014 Chivas USA Major League Soccer 15 0 - - - 15 0
JapanLeague Emperor's Cup J.League Cup AsiaTotal
2015 Fagiano Okayama J2 League 36 0 1 0 - - 37 0
2016 26 1 0 0 - - 26 1
2017 24 0 0 0 - - 24 0
Country Japan 499 7 43 3 32 1 31 0 605 11
United States 15 0 - - - 15 0
Total 514 7 43 3 32 1 31 0 620 11

[3]

Japan national team
YearAppsGoals
2003 1 0
2004 20 0
2005 14 1
2006 14 0
2007 11 1
2008 4 0
Total 64 2

References[change | change source]

  1. Akira Kaji at National-Football-Teams.com Edit this at Wikidata
  2. Akira Kaji at J.League (in Japanese) Edit this at Wikidata
  3. Japan National Football Team Database

Other websites[change | change source]