Akira Kaji

Akira Kaji

Personal information
Full name	Akira Kaji
Date of birth	(1980-01-13) January 13, 1980
Place of birth	Minamiawaji, Hyōgo, Japan
Height
Position(s)	Right back
Team information
Current team	Fagiano Okayama
Number	21
Youth career
1995–1997	Takigawa Daini H.S.
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–	Fagiano Okayama	11	(0)
International career‡
1998–1999	Japan U-20	8	(1)
2003–2008	Japan	64	(2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 January 2015 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 30 January 2010

Akira Kaji (加地 亮, Kaji Akira) (born January 13, 1980 in Minamiawaji, Hyōgo) is a Japanese professional footballer who last played for Fagiano Okayama FC. He is a specialist on the right-hand side of the pitch playing as a full back or a wide midfielder.

Playing career

Club

After graduating from Takigawa Daini High School, Kaji joined Cerezo Osaka in 1998. He made his first league appearance on July 25, 1998 against Avispa Fukuoka. At the club, he found it difficult to break into the first team and was loaned out to J. League Division 2 side Oita Trinita at the start of the 2000 season.

After spending 2 years at Oita, Kaji came back to Division 1 in 2002 to play for F.C. Tokyo. The manager Hiromi Hara made him a regular and assigned a more attacking role. His club won the 2004 J. League Cup by beating Urawa Red Diamonds in the final which ended 0-0 after the extra time. The penalty shoot-out was required and his successful conversion as the last penalty taker for Tokyo finally broke the deadlock.

He was transferred to Gamba Osaka at the beginning of the 2006 season and scored in the beginning league match against Urawa Reds. He was selected as a member of the 2006 J-League Team of the Year.

After eight years with Gamba Osaka, Kaji signed with Major League Soccer club Chivas USA on June 24, 2014.

International

He was a member of the Japan team for the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship finals where the team finished runners-up.

He gained his first cap for Japan when national coach Zico played him on October 8, 2003 in a friendly against Tunisia. He was rated highly by Zico who made him the first-choice right full-back. He was a member of the Japan team who won the 2004 Asian Cup in China. In a 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup against Brazil, his goal was disallowed by a controversial offside decision. His first goal for the country finally came on August 17, 2005 in a World Cup qualifier against Iran.

He made the final squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. In a preparation match against Germany just before the tournament, he injured his ankle when tackled by Bastian Schweinsteiger. Zico considered his replacement but decided to keep him. He missed Japan's first game in the tournament against Australia with Yūichi Komano filling in for his place, but he returned to the team and played in the rest of the competition.

After the 2006 World Cup, Zico was replaced by Ivica Osim who also regularly picks him for the national team. He was a member of the Japan team for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup and played all the Japan games in the tournament.

On May 20, 2008 he announced retirement from international football.

Club career stats

Last update: 1 January 2015

Club	Season	League		Emperor's Cup		J. League Cup		Continental1		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cerezo Osaka	1998	15	0	1	0	1	1	-		17	1
	1999	9	0	0	0	0	0	-		9	0
Oita Trinita	2000	34	3	2	0	1	0	-		37	3
	2001	41	0	2	0	4	0	-		47	0
F.C. Tokyo	2002	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
Gamba Osaka	2006	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	11	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	38	0	2	0	-	-	-	-	40	0
	2014	6	0	0	0	0	0	-	-	6	0
Career total		413	6	37	3	32	1	34	0	521	10

¹Includes AFC Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

National team career statistics

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

Appearances in major competitions

Team	Competition	Category	Appearances		Goals	Team Record
			Start	Sub
Japan	1999 FIFA World Youth Championship	Senior	0	3	0	2nd place
Japan	2003 Confederations Cup	Senior			0	Group Stage
Japan	2004 AFC Asian Cup	Senior	6	0	0	Champions
Japan	2005 Confederations Cup	Senior			0	Group Stage
Japan	East Asian Cup 2005	Senior			0	2nd place
Japan	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification	Senior			1	Qualified
Japan	2006 FIFA World Cup	Senior	3	0	0	Group Stage

Goals for Senior National Team

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	August 17, 2005	Yokohama, Japan	Iran	2-1	Won	2006 FIFA World Cup Qualification
2.	October 17, 2007	Osaka, Japan	Egypt	4-1	Won	2007 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations

Personal Honors

• J. League Best Eleven - 2006

Team Honors

Club

• AFC Champions League - 2008
• Emperor's Cup - 2008, 2009
• J. League Cup - 2004, 2007
• Japanese Super Cup - 2007

National Team

• AFC Asian Cup - 2004
• FIFA World Youth Championship - 1999 (Runner-up)