Yasushi Kawakami
{{Short description|Japanese footballer (born 1963)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography
|name=Yasushi Kawakami
|image=
|image_size=
|caption=
|full_name=
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1963|5|8|df=y}}
|birth_place=Okinawa, Japan
|death_date=
|death_place=
|height=1.68 m
|position=Midfielder, forward
|currentclub=
|youthyears1=|youthclubs1=
|years1=1982–1987|clubs1=Banfield|caps1=|goals1=
|years2=1987–1989|clubs2=All Nippon Airways|caps2=|goals2=
|years3=1989–1992|clubs3=Chuo Bohan|caps3=|goals3=
|years4=1992|clubs4=Shimizu S-Pulse|caps4=|goals4=
|totalcaps=|totalgoals=
|nationalyears1=|nationalteam1=|nationalcaps1=|nationalgoals1=
|manageryears1=1996–2006|managerclubs1=Argentina (women) (assistant coach)
|manageryears2=2008|managerclubs2=Argentina U20 (women)
|medaltemplates=
|club-update=
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}}
{{Nihongo|Yasushi Kawakami|川上 靖|Kawakami Yasushi|born 8 May 1963}} is a Japanese former football player, coach and manager.
Playing career
Kawakami was born in Okinawa, Japan.{{BDFA|id=15436}} His family emigrated to Argentina in 1968, when he was five years old.{{cite news|last=Bottesi|first=Luciano|title=Yasushi Kawakami: la increíble vida del primer japonés que jugó y metió un gol en el fútbol argentino|language=es|trans-title=Yasushi Kawakami: the incredible life of the first Japanese to play and score a goal in Argentine soccer|url=https://www.clarin.com/deportes/increible-vida-yasushi-kawakami-primer-japones-jugo-metio-gol-futbol-argentino_0_tlzS1GFKz4.html |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Clarín |date=26 April 2022}} He signed with Banfield in 1982, becoming the first Japanese footballer to play in the Argentine league.{{cite news |title=Jugadores asiáticos que han jugado en el Continente Americano |url=https://www.espn.com.ar/futbol/nota/_/id/7741201/jugadores-asiaticos-continente-americano-keisuke-honda |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=ESPN Digital|language=es|trans-title=Asian players who have played on the American Continent |date=16 November 2020}}{{cite web|url=http://www.soydebanfield.com.ar/Noticia/Contenido/32866|title="Es un orgullo haber sido el 1er japonés en el fútbol argentino"|work=Soy de Banfield|trans-title="It is a pride to have been the first Japanese in Argentine soccer"|language=es|date=8 September 2020}}{{cite news |title=Yasushi Kawakami, el primer japonés en jugar profesionalmente en Argentina, dialogó con FM10|trans-title=Yasushi Kawakami, the first Japanese to play professionally in Argentina, spoke with FM10|language=es |url=https://fm10bolivar.com.ar/nota/16376/yasushi-kawakami-el-primer-japones-en-jugar-profesionalmente-en-argentina-dialogo-con-fm10 |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=FM10 Radio Ciudad Bolivar |date=10 January 2018}} He played eight matches and scored one goal in the Argentine second division.{{cite news |title=Por primera vez, una japonesa jugará en el fútbol argentino |url=https://www.ole.com.ar/futbol-femenino/primera-vez-japonesa-jugara-futbol-argentino_0_2sMEh3Iov2.html |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Olé: Fútbol Femenino|language=es|trans-title=For the first time, a Japanese woman will play in Argentine soccer |date=27 January 2023}} A goal scored by him against All Boys on 20 July 1985 was the first goal scored by a Japanese player in the Argentine league until Naohiro Takahara scored in 2001.{{cite news |title=Curiosidades|language=es|trans-title=Curiosities |url=https://www.clarin.com/deportes/curiosidades_0_H1K_lPlCKx.html |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=Clarín |date=24 September 2001}}
In 1987, he returned to Japan and signed with All Nippon Airways in the Japan Soccer League. From 1989, he played for Chuo Bohan and Shimizu S-Pulse. He retired from playing in 1992.
Managerial career
After retirement, Kawakami started coaching career in Argentina. He was the technical director of the Argentina women's national team from 1999 to 2012.{{cite news |title=Forjado en los potreros del Conurbano, un particular personaje del fútbol argentino transmite sus enseñanzas en Japón |url=https://infosurdiario.com.ar/forjado-en-los-potreros-del-conurbano-un-particular-personaje-del-futbol-argentino-transmite-sus-ensenanzas-en-japon/ |access-date=11 May 2023 |work=InfoSur |date=18 September 2019|trans-title=Forged in the pastures of the Conurbano, a particular Argentine soccer character transmits his teachings in Japan|language=es}} He also served as the assistant coach for Argentina women's national team from 1996 to 2006.{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090711051343/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/01/02/16/29/reportfwu20wcchile08_0226.pdf|url=http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/01/02/16/29/reportfwu20wcchile08_0226.pdf |title=2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup - Technical Report|work=FIFA|page=38|archive-date=11 July 2009|url-status=dead}} He helped the national team qualify for their first FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003 with manager Carlos Borrello.{{cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111226232356/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/technicaldevp/50/08/02/fwwcusa2003-technicalreport_neu_081010.pdf|url=http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/technicaldevp/50/08/02/fwwcusa2003-technicalreport_neu_081010.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 December 2011|title=2003 FIFA Women's World Cup - Technical Report|work=FIFA|page=58}} In 2008, he became a manager for Argentina U-20 women's national team and managed the team in 2008 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|id=836131}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kawakami Yasushi}}
Category:Association football people from Okinawa Prefecture
Category:Japanese men's footballers
Category:Japan Soccer League players
Category:Club Atlético Banfield footballers
Category:Yokohama Flügels players
Category:Avispa Fukuoka players
Category:Shimizu S-Pulse players
Category:Japanese football managers
Category:20th-century Japanese sportsmen
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