The top 10 Japanese to play in the IPL
The Illawarra Premier League has been blessed with an influx of Japanese talent over the last five years.
Some of these players have starred in the region’s top flight, helping their respective sides to silverware as well as claiming individual honours.
Albion Park White Eagles recently re-signed one of the best Japanese players to grace the league in 2016 George Naylor Medalist Shohei Okuno prompting me to ask the question; who are the best IPL players to come from the Land of the Rising Sun?
Here are my top 10 based on their contributions in the IPL.
10. Shinsei Tanaka — Fernhill (2018, 2019)
Fernhill defied all expectations in 2018 by staving off relegation.
The feat was made possible by nine goals from the diminutive Shinsei Tanaka, who was playing in District League Reserve Grade the previous season.
His goals accounted for 15 points for the Foxes, seeing the side finish well clear of the drop with the highlight being a match-winning brace in Round 2 against Woonona.
9. Hikaru Kawasakiya — Albion Park White Eagles (2017–2018), Wollongong United (2019–2020)
“He’s 100 per cent class,” said Hikaru Kawasakiya’s former Albion Park White Eagles coach Paul Carter after the attacker destroyed Cringila in the opening round of the 2018 season.
“If you want to see someone with beautiful technique and that knows how to play football, he’s the guy you want to come watch.”
Kawasakiya is going into his fourth season in the IPL and he will be gunning for a piece of silverware that his exploits deserve.
8. Shun Tokuno — Wollongong Olympic (2017–2018)
Shun Tokuno was the premier offensive fullback in the league during his two seasons with Wollongong Olympic.
The pint-sized left-back, with a magical left peg, demonstrated the technical ability to suggest he would be capable of playing anywhere across the park.
Tokuno was a part of Olympic’s 2018 Bert Bampton Cup glory and he also had an eye for goal, perhaps the best coming from distance at Ocean Park in the same season.
7. Tomoki Wada — Corrimal Rangers (2019)
Wada had Illawarra football fans talking after an audacious goal in the Fraternity Club Cup final, a brilliant moment which was a sign of things to come.
The creative midfielder was integral in Corrimal’s historic premiership run with the Japanese showing exceptional ability to find space, his teammates and the back of the net, scoring 12 goals in 24 matches.
It’s little wonder why NSW NPL 1 club Rockdale have secured his signature for the upcoming season.
6. Kenji Takahashi — Bulli (2016–2019)
Kenji Takahashi was arguably the most reliable defender in the IPL during his four-year stay at Balls Paddock.
The staunch central defender (who also proved capable at fullback in 2018) was a nightmare for opposition attackers in one-on-one duals due to his strength and deceptive speed.
Takahashi’s time in Australia came to an end last season, with the dependable stopper taking home medals for two league titles, two Bert Bampton Cups and the 2018 grand final.
5. Yuya Kuwada — Bellambi (2015), Bulli (2016–2019)
Bulli picked up Kuwada after he showed his potential between the sticks for a struggling Bellambi side during the 2016 season.
Like Takahashi, Kuwada proved a vital cog in the Bulli machine over his time with the club with the goalkeeper quickly establishing himself as the benchmark for number 1s in the IPL.
Kuwada was acclaimed for his acrobatic shot-stopping and pin-point distribution, named the league’s golden glove in 2017 and 2018, campaigns where he conceded just 20 and eight goals in the regular season respectively.
4. Daisuke Yuzawa — Wollongong United (2015–2018)
Daisuke Yuzawa should be labelled as a pioneer for Japanese players in the IPL as he was one of the first to join the league when he signed for Wollongong United in 2015 along with countrymen Moto Kinjo and Kota Kawase.
The trio helped the United to grand final glory that year and Yuzawa would go on to play over 100 games for the Macedonia Park club.
Yuzawa possed fantastic technical ability and was a threat regardless of what flank he was deployed on, be it as a winger or a fullback.
Interestingly, Yuzawa hung up his boots at the end of 2018, still in his mid-20s and is now working to bring more Japanese players to Australia through his agency FootballPlus+.
3. Kazuto Kushida — Kemblawarra Fury (2017), Wollongong United (2018)
The midfield metronome was considered one of the Thai League 1’s best players when he joined Kemblawarra in 2017 and over his two seasons in the Illawarra, he certainly demonstrated his quality.
Kushida impressed crowds with his vision, passing range and confidence on the ball, traits which were underpinned by an incredible work-rate as he glided up and down the middle of the park.
King Kazo held together Kemblawarra and United in the backends of both seasons with his consistency amongst an inconsistent environment highlighting his immense ability.
In 2018, Kushida finished runner-up in the George Naylor Medal and he is now back in Thailand’s top flight with Chonburi.
2. Shohei Okuno — Albion Park White Eagles (2016–17, 2020)
If this list was about one season, Okuno would be at the very top because his 2016 campaign was simply sensational.
Anyone who watched Okuno in that remarkable season would understand why he was dubbed Showtime with his 20 goals, from number 10, the difference between Albion Park claiming the premiership and not.
Okuno also scored big goals, netting in all three finals matches including a brace in the 4–2 grand final win over Kemblawarra.
He also formed a great partnership with countryman Riku Iwauchi who netted 12 goals in the campaign.
Okuno made his long-awaited return to Terry Reserve earlier this month after an unsuccessful spell at NSW NPL 1 strugglers Hakoah and at 29, one would hope the Japanese maestro is still more than able to add to his IPL highlight reel.
1. Yusuke Ueda — Wollongong Olympic (2016–2019)
The most important part of football is putting the ball in the back of the net and Yusuke Ueda did that over 110 times in his four seasons with Wollongong Olympic.
The Japanese juggernaut was the focal point for the best Olympic side in a generation with his pace, power, agility and finishing proving a lethal concoction in delivering a league title, two Bert Bampton Cups, two season-placed finishes and a grand final runners-up medal.
In 2018, Ueda proved unstoppable, finding the back of the net 31 times during the regular season which broke Joe Coelho’s record which stood since 1987.
Ueda scored five more in the finals series with his exploits seeing him crowned the George Naylor Medalists over compatriot Kushida.
In Round 10 of the 2018 season, Ueda blasted seven past Picton a phenomenal achievement which, somewhat disparagingly, has, by some, been used as a stick to beat him with due to suggestions about padding out his stats.
Firstly, without those seven goals, he would still have finished nine goals clear of Ben McDonald in the golden boot race and secondly, I didn’t see anyone else score seven goals against Picton that year.
Ueda wrapped up his tremendous stay the PCYC in 2019 with the centre forward looking to make a mark in the Japanese footballing pyramid.
