Kunishige Kamamoto, a prolific goalscorer in the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, died on Sunday, August 10 of pneumonia at an Osaka hospital. He was 81.
Playing for the Japan national team at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Kamamoto was the tournament's top scorer (seven goals). He helped Japan earn the bronze medal, its best-ever finish in an Olympic men's soccer tourney.
Brazilian legend Pele, who passed away in December 2022, once called Kamamoto "a great striker."
It was the ultimate compliment for the Kyoto native.
Others have described Kamamoto as "Japan's goal machine."
Kamamoto scored 75 goals in 76 Japan national team matches between 1964 (he made his debut at the Tokyo Olympics) and '77. To this day, he is Japan's all-time leading scorer.
A Canadian Broadcasting Corporation article from 2005, "Top 10 Japanese Athletes," opined that Kamamoto's place in the pecking order of his chosen sport in his homeland was indisputable.
"Unquestionably, [he was] the greatest Japanese soccer player of all time," the CBC declared.
Beyond his impressive statistics, Asian Football Confederation President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa recognizes Kamamoto as an inspirational figure. He called Kamamoto "a true icon of Asian football whose achievements will forever be remembered."
The AFC chief added, "[Kamamoto's] role in leading Japan to the bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games inspired generations and elevated the profile of the beautiful game across the continent."
Achievements as a Player
Kamamoto was a seven-time Japanese Football Player of the Year. In 2005, he was the first inductee of the Japan Football Hall of Fame, which was established that year.
Kamamoto played his entire pro career for the Yanmar Diesel Soccer Club, the forerunner of the J.League's Cerezo Osaka, in the Japan Soccer League from 1967-84. And he was named to the JSL's Best XI team 14 times, highlighting his sustained standard of excellence.
In his 251 Yanmar Diesel appearances in the JSL, the Waseda University alum scored a jaw-dropping 202 goals while leading the JSL in goals in seven seasons. He also notched 51 goals in 48 Emperor's Cup matches over the years.
Led by Pele and Giorgio Chinaglia, among others, the North American Soccer League's star-studded New York Cosmos played the Japan national squad in September 1977. A crowd of 65,000 spectators attended the exhibition match at the old National Stadium in Tokyo. After the game, which the Cosmos won 3-1, Pele gave Kamamoto an unforgettable present: his spiked shoes worn in the match.
Words from the Asian Football Confederation Chief
Shaikh Salman offered condolences in the aftermath of Kamamoto's death.
"On behalf of the Asian football family, I extend our heartfelt sympathies to his loved ones, friends, and the Japan Football Association during this time of grieving, and I am confident that his legacy will continue to inspire and his contribution to the game will never be forgotten," Shaikh Salman said in a written tribute posted on the AFC website.
"The thoughts and prayers of the AFC and the Asian football community are with the family and friends of Kunishige Kamamoto, as well as with the JFA, during this difficult time."
Tributes Pour in for Kunishige Kamamoto
Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto paid tribute to Kamamoto this week.
"Mr Kamamoto was truly an unparalleled striker," Miyamoto said in a statement.
In a video posted to the "Timeless Legends" YouTube channel, the narrator provides a revealing portrait of how Kamamoto thrived on the field.
"Inspired by Portugal's legendary Eusebio, a thunderous shot, quick movement and a killer instinct for goals ― he had it all," the narrator said.
Hajime Moriyasu, manager of the Samurai Blue, aka the national team, described Kamamoto as a player whose impact went far beyond the final score during any match.
Rather, Kamamoto "gave us a ray of hope that Japanese football can compete on the international stage," Moriyasu was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
"I'm hoping for a player who could eventually eclipse Mr Kamamoto to emerge," he added.
Kozo Tashima, the JFA's honorary president and its former president (2016-24), said Kamamoto set the standard of greatness for Japanese goalscorers.
In Osaka, a wake and a funeral were held for Kamamoto on Wednesday, August 13. According to published reports, 170 people attended the funeral.
Tashima delivered a eulogy for Kamamoto.
"Looking back on the long history of Japanese soccer, unfortunately there is no other striker who can compete on equal terms with the world," Tashima said, according to NHK. "My eulogy was meant to express my gratitude for the great legacy he left behind in the world of soccer."
Tashima added, "There was no one who loved soccer and the Japanese national team as much as he did. I want to carry on that spirit and fully support the players and coaches at next year's [FIFA] World Cup."
Appreciation for Kunishige Kamamoto
Goalkeeper Kenzo Yokoyama, who competed with Kamamoto at the Mexico City Olympics, remembered his former teammate as a technically sound player.
"He always emphasized how important it was to stop the ball before shooting, and he practiced that technique extensively," Yokoyama recalled, NHK reported. "I was also trained by receiving hundreds of his shots."
J.League chairman Yoshikazu Nonomura expressed his profound appreciation for the impact that Kamamoto had on his soccer career and the sport in Japan.
"I have been taught by Pele, [Diego] Maradona, Zico and Kamamoto since I was a child, and I am extremely grateful to them," Nonomura said, according to NHK. "Kamamoto's presence as a player and coach has played a major role in shaping the soccer world as we know it today. I would like to continue to develop the soccer world that he helped build."
A Lifetime Involvement in Soccer
Born April 15, 1944 in Kyoto's Ukyo Ward, Kunishige Kamamoto attended Yamashiro High School before enrolling at Waseda University in 1963.
During Kamamoto's college years, he established himself as a prolific scorer. He was the Kanto University League's No 1 scorer for four consecutive seasons.
As a professional footballer for Yanmar Diesel, the muscular 179-cm Kamamoto served as player-manager from 1978-84.
From 1991-94, he was the manager of Matsushita Electric/Gamba Osaka, before and after the launch of the J.League in 1993. Gamba became a part of the team's name in '92.
Throughout the years following his retirement, Kamamoto helped develop the sport in his homeland. He conducted more than 1,200 soccer clinics in Japan, Kyodo News reported.
He was the JFA vice president from 1998-2008, a transformative era for Japanese soccer. The Samurai Blue qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 1998, and Japan co-hosted the World Cup along with South Korea in 2002.
As a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Kamamoto served in the House of Councillors from 1995 to 2001.
And in 2014, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, recognizing his societal contributions through soccer.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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