Atomu Tanaka
{{short description|Japanese footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Atomu Tanaka
田中 亜土夢
| image = Atomu Tanaka.jpg
| upright = 1.2
| caption = Tanaka with HJK in 2017
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1987|10|4|df=y}}
| birth_place = Niigata, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = 1.67 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = KTP
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = 1996–1999
| youthclubs1 = Shindori Eagles
| youthyears2 = 2000–2002
| youthclubs2 = Kido Junior High School
| youthyears3 = 2003–2005
| youthclubs3 = Maebashi Ikuei High School
| years1 = 2005–2014
| clubs1 = Albirex Niigata
| caps1 = 200
| goals1 = 17
| years2 = 2015–2017
| clubs2 = HJK
| caps2 = 71
| goals2 = 16
| years3 = 2018–2019
| clubs3 = Cerezo Osaka
| caps3 = 27
| goals3 = 2
| years4 = 2018–2019
| clubs4 = → Cerezo Osaka U-23
| caps4 = 3
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2020–2024
| clubs5 = HJK
| caps5 = 80
| goals5 = 8
| years6 = 2025–
| clubs6 = KTP
| caps6 = 0
| goals6 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2006–2007
| nationalteam1 = Japan U20
| nationalcaps1 = 8
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| medaltemplates = {{Medal|Country|{{Fb|JPN}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|AFC U-19 Championship}}
{{Medal|S|2006 India|}}
| club-update = 19 October 2024
}}
{{Nihongo|Atomu Tanaka|田中 亜土夢|Tanaka Atomu|born 4 October 1987}}, nicknamed Atom, is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Veikkausliiga club KTP.
He was a participant at 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada and scored 1 goal in 3 appearances.{{cite web | title= Atomu Tanaka statistics | publisher=FIFA.com |url=https://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=268480/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107123955/http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/statisticsandrecords/players/player=268480/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 November 2012 | access-date= 4 January 2012 }}
Club career
=Albirex Niigata=
Tanaka was educated at and played for Maebashi Ikuei High School in Maebashi, Gunma. While he was a high school student, he was registered as a J.League specially-designated player by Albirex Niigata.{{cite web|title=JFA Release 00018873 |publisher=J's Goal |url=http://www.jsgoal.jp/news/_prog/view.php?press_code=00018873 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120803022946/http://www.jsgoal.jp/news/_prog/view.php?press_code=00018873 |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 August 2012 |date=3 May 2005 |access-date=4 January 2012 |language=ja }} It meant that he was eligible to play and train with Albirex Niigata, while he was still eligible to play for his high school football club. He played two league games for Albirex in the 2005 season. He made his debut on 27 November 2005 in a J1 League away match against Nagoya Grampus Eight.{{cite web | title= Match data: Nagoya Grumpus 0-1 Albirex Niigata | publisher= J. League | url= http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=33&y=2005 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120804042606/http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=33&y=2005 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 4 August 2012 | date= 27 November 2005 | access-date= 4 January 2012 | language= ja }}
After graduating from his high school in 2006, he officially signed with Albirex Niigata. His first appearance as a professional player came on 5 March 2006 in a league match against Kawasaki Frontale.{{cite web | title= Match data: Kawasaki Frontale 6-0 Albirex Niigata | publisher= J. League | url= http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=01&y=2006 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120804110205/http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=01&y=2006 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 4 August 2012 | date= 5 March 2006 | access-date= 4 January 2012 | language= ja }} His first professional goal came on 8 April 2006 in a league match against Ventforet Kofu.{{cite web | title= Match data: Ventforet Kofu 0-4 Albirex Niigata | publisher= J. League | url= http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=07&y=2006 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120803213014/http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?d=j1f&t=result&s=07&y=2006 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 3 August 2012 | date= 8 April 2006 | access-date= 4 January 2012 | language= ja }}
=HJK Helsinki=
After scoring once in five matches for his new team HJK Helsinki in the 2015 Finnish League Cup, he scored on his Veikkausliiga debut against RoPS in a 3–1 away win on 12 April.
In October 2015 of the same year, HJK exercised their option of keeping Tanaka under contract for the 2016 season.{{cite web|title=TAIWO, DÄHNE JA ATOM JATKAVAT KLUBISSA|url=http://www.hjk.fi/uutiset/Miehet-3509|website=hjk.fi|publisher=Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi|access-date=20 October 2015|language=fi|date=20 October 2015}} Tanaka was voted as a best eleven member in 2015 and 2016 in the Finnish League.{{cite web|title=フィンランド1部ヘルシンキの田中亜土夢が2年連続ベストイレブン!|url=https://web.gekisaka.jp/news/detail/?201758-201758-fl|website=ゲキサカ|date=25 October 2016 |publisher=KODANSHA LTD.|access-date=25 January 2018}}
On 25 October 2017, it was announced that Tanaka would leave HJK at the end of the 2017 season.{{cite web|title=Atomu Tanaka ja Ousman Jallow lähtevät HJK:sta –jäähyväisottelu lauantaina liigan päätöskierroksella|url=https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000005423074.html|website=hs.fi|publisher=Helsingin Sanomat|access-date=22 November 2017|language=fi|date=25 October 2017}}
=Cerezo Osaka=
=Return to HJK=
On 3 March 2020, Tanaka returned to Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi, after
signing a contract until the end of July.{{cite web |title=Atom palaa Klubiin! |url=https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/atom-palaa-klubiin/ |website=hjk.fi/ |publisher=Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi |access-date=3 March 2020 |language=fi |date=3 March 2020}}
In the 2023 season Atom surpassed the 200th match mark in HJK. On 28 November 2023, Atom extended his contract with HJK, signing a new deal for the 2024 season,[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/jo-kahdeksas-kausi-atomia/ Jo kahdeksas kausi Atomia!], hjk.fi, 28 November 2023 which will be his eight season with the club in total. In December 2024, it was announced that Tanaka would leave HJK after the 2024 season.[https://www.hjk.fi/artikkelit/miehet/atomin-ja-toivion-viimeinen-kotipeli/ Atomin ja Toivion viimeinen kotipeli], hjk.fi, 10 December 2024
=KTP=
In January 2025, Tanaka signed with newly promoted Veikkausliiga club Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat (KTP).
International career
Tanaka was a U-20 international and took part in the 2006 AFC Youth Championship and 2007 U-20 World Cup. He scored 1 goal in 8 appearances for this tournament.
Personal life
Atom is a Finnish sauna enthusiast and he writes a sauna blog in Japanese. He has described Helsinki his second hometown.[https://www.apu.fi/artikkelit/hjk-n-atomu-tanaka-omisti-japaninkielisen-bloginsa-saunalle-suomalaisen-saunan-suosio-kasvaa-japanissa-voimakkaasti HJK:n Atomu Tanaka omisti japaninkielisen bloginsa saunalle: ”Suomalaisen saunan suosio kasvaa Japanissa voimakkaasti”], Apu, apu.fi, 1 May 2021[https://www.iltalehti.fi/veikkausliiga/a/43d20db8-207f-4964-b350-58c2f20925f1 Japanilainen Atomu Tanaka astui suomalaiseen saunaan – Kummastui näkemästään: ”Mistä se johtuu?”], Iltalehti, 22 June 2023[https://saunafromfinland.com/sauna-stories/atomu-tanaka-finding-happiness-in-the-finnish-sauna/ Atomu Tanaka finding happiness in the Finnish sauna], saunafromfinland, 18 May 2022[https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000006550245.html Saunafani palasi Suomeen], Helsingin Sanomat, Ari Virtanen, 24 June 2020
Career statistics
{{updated|10 March 2025}} Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, [https://www.amazon.co.jp/J1-J3%E9%81%B8%E6%89%8B%E5%90%8D%E9%91%91%E3%83%8F%E3%83%B3%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E7%89%88-2018-NSK-MOOK/dp/4905411521 "J1&J2&J3選手名鑑ハンディ版 2018 (NSK MOOK)"], 7 February 2018, Japan, {{ISBN|978-4905411529}} (p. 27 out of 289){{cite web|publisher=Guardian.co.uk |title=Stats Centre: Atomu Tanaka Facts |url=http://guardian.touch-line.com/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=63&CPID=147&pStr=Player&PLID=196219&TEID=3701 |access-date=3 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008163700/http://guardian.touch-line.com/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=63&CPID=147&pStr=Player&PLID=196219&TEID=3701 |archive-date=8 October 2011 }}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| rowspan="11"|Albirex Niigata | 2005 | J1 League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | |2 | 0 | |
| 2006 | J1 League | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 27 | 2 | ||
| 2007 | J1 League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 13 | 1 | ||
| 2008 | J1 League | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2009 | J1 League | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | J1 League | 10 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 16 | 4 | ||
| 2011 | J1 League | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 28 | 4 | ||
| 2012 | J1 League | 34 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 39 | 4 | ||
| 2013 | J1 League | 33 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 41 | 5 | ||
| 2014 | J1 League | 33 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 37 | 3 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!200 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 245 | 24 | |||
| rowspan="4"|HJK Helsinki | 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 31 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 6{{efn|name=UCEL|Appearances at the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League}} | 1 | 45 | 12 |
| |2016 | Veikkausliiga | 17 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances at the UEFA Europa League}} | 2 | 28 | 10 | |
| |2017 | Veikkausliiga | 23 | 3 | 7 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | 0 | 0 | 30 | 5 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!71 | 16 | 12 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 103 | 27 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Cerezo Osaka | 2018 | J1 League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| |2019 | J1 League | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 30 | 3 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 40 | 3 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Cerezo Osaka U-23 | 2018 | J3 League | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 1 | 0 | |||
| |2019 | J3 League | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 2 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="6"|HJK Helsinki
|2020 |Veikkausliiga |19 | 5 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 23 | 5 | |||||
| |2021 | |Veikkausliiga | 16 | 1 | 5 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | 7{{efn|name=UCCL|Appearances at the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 1 | 28 | 3 | ||
| |2022 | |Veikkausliiga | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6{{efn|name=UEL|Appearances at the UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| |2023 | |Veikkausliiga | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 8{{efn|name=UCL|Appearances at the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2024
|Veikkausliiga |8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Conference League|name=uecl}} | 0 | 17 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!80 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 26 | 1 | 128 | 12 | |||
| KTP
|2025 |Veikkausliiga |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | colspan=2|– | 5 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!381 | 43 | 43 | 11 | 61 | 9 | 39 | 4 | 514 | 67 |
Honours
=Club=
HJK Helsinki
- Veikkausliiga: 2017, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
- Finnish Cup: 2017, 2020
- Finnish League Cup: 2023
=Individual=
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190407022129/https://www.cerezo.jp/teams/players/atomu_tanaka/ Profile at Cerezo Osaka]
- {{FIFA player|268480}}
- {{J.League player|8458}}
{{KTP squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tanaka, Atomu}}
Category:Japanese men's footballers
Category:Japan men's youth international footballers
Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen
Category:Albirex Niigata players
Category:Veikkausliiga players
Category:Helsingin Jalkapalloklubi players
Category:Kotkan Työväen Palloilijat players
Category:Japanese expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland
Category:Japanese expatriate sportspeople in Finland