SPORTS
April 21, 2014
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 7
Five Japan players to watch at the World Cup
By Jim Armstrong
AP Sports Writer
OKYO — Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa will
be called on to play key roles as Japan attempts to
reach the next level at the World Cup.
Honda is slowly adjusting to life at AC Milan while
Kagawa has seen limited playing time under David Moyes
at Manchester United, but both have been effective for the
national team under coach Alberto Zaccheroni.
Japan surprised critics in 2010 by advancing past the
group stage with wins over Cameroon and Denmark
before losing on penalty kicks to Paraguay in the knockout
stage.
Japan’s team this year will feature many young players
and Zaccheroni will be counting on Honda and Kagawa for
leadership.
Here are five players to watch:
Keisuke Honda
Widely regarded as Japan’s best player, Keisuke Honda
scored in a 1-1 draw with Australia in June to secure the
country’s fifth straight World Cup appearance.
Brash and confident, the 27-year-old AC Milan
attacking midfielder said Japan won’t be intimidated by
any opposition at the tournament in Brazil from June 12
through July 13.
He set up two goals in Japan’s 4-2 win over New Zealand
in a friendly in March playing in his preferred central
position.
Honda is off to a slow start at AC Milan, where coach
Clarence Seedorf has been using him on the right side or
as a defensive midfielder.
Shinji Kagawa
Despite struggling to find his form under David Moyes
during Manchester United’s troubled season, Shinji
Kagawa has been a major contributor to Japan’s
qualifying campaign.
Kagawa scored twice in the friendly win over New
Zealand, proving that his lack of playing time at Old
Trafford hasn’t slowed him down.
The 25-year-old midfielder scored 21 goals over two
seasons with Borussia Dortmund. And on March 2, 2013,
Kagawa scored three times for United in a 4-0 home win
over Norwich to become the first Asian player to score a
hat trick in a Premier League match.
Shinji Okazaki
Japan’s top striker, Shinji Okazaki has scored 11 goals
in 24 games for German club Mainz this season.
The 27-year-old forward moved to Stuttgart in 2011 and
scored 10 goals across two seasons before his transfer to
Mainz.
q
My Turn: Retiring phrases
Continued from page 6
Writers and Colbert fans
blasted Park and her
followers, accusing her of
bullying
and
drawing
attention away from the
real issue of eliminating
the Redskins name. While I
wholeheartedly agree that
no Native American should
be denigrated or used as a
mascot for a sports team,
many
Asian-American
writers have chosen to
castigate Park, and some
Colbert fans resorted to
threats of death and rape
against her.
The whole incident has
polarized
the
Asian-
American media commu-
nity. But I believe many
have missed the real point:
Why was it okay for Colbert
to use the phrase “Ching
Chong” in the first place? I
suspect if there was an
Asian American in the
writer’s room, there would
have been a discussion
about how hurtful that
phrase is even when used
in satire.
The history of the phrase
reflects what English-
speaking
Americans
thought the Chinese lan-
guage sounded like to
them. We’ve all heard some
variation in a nursery
rhyme. Korean immigrant
Mary Paik Lee in San
Francisco documented one
in her 1906 autobiography:
“Ching Chong, China-
man.
Sitting on a wall.
Along came a white man
And chopped his tail off.”
Words hurt. Words can
also change people in a
positive way. When some-
one tells you that a certain
phrase or name hurts
them, listen. Often, people
outside of an ethnic or
racial group have a difficult
time understanding why
their word usage would
have to change and are
resentful that people of
color might take offense at
what they said. Yet lan-
guage changes continu-
ously and new words are
created and adopted every
day. Our words have to
evolve just as we do as
human beings. I would be
happy if all the derogatory
phrases and names I’ve
listed here would simply be
retired. Perhaps one day
they all will, only to live on
Wikipedia as a memorial of
a time that no longer exists.
Okazaki scored the only goal in Japan’s 1-0 win over
Argentina in an international friendly, its first ever win
over the 1978 and 1986 World Cup champions.
Okazaki’s 35 international goals make him Japan’s
fourth-highest scorer of all time.
Yoichiro Kakitani
Considered by many to be Japan’s future star,
24-year-old midfielder Yoichiro Kakitani scored 21 goals
in 34 games for Cerezo Osaka last season and added four
goals for the national team in 2013 as an attacking
midfielder for coach Alberto Zaccheroni.
Kakitani has drawn comparisons with Shinji Kagawa,
TALKING STORY IN
ASIAN AMERICA
n Polo
Polo’s “Talking Story”
column will return soon.
ASTHMA
IS
ON
THE RISE.
Help us find a cure.
1-800-LUNG-USA
OHSU
Diverse in
People
and Ideas
AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File
AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File
T
WORLD CUP WATCH. Japan’s national team surprised critics at
the 2010 World Cup of soccer by advancing past the group stage with
wins over Cameroon and Denmark before losing on penalty kicks to Para-
guay in the knockout stage. The team hopes to reach the next level at this
year’s World Cup in Brazil with player such as Keisuke Honda (left) and
Yuto Nagatomo (right).
who also played for Cerezo.
A strong performance in Brazil could garner more
interest from clubs in Europe.
Yuto Nagatomo
Yuto Nagatomo joined Inter Milan in January 2011
from Cesena and has been an integral member of the back
four since then.
The speedy 27-year-old left back has made 18 league
appearances for Inter this season while scoring five goals.
A regular member of the national team, Nagatomo has
played in 63 games for Japan with three goals.
2UHJRQ,PPLJUDWLRQ$WWRUQH\
-LPP\1DPJ\DO
&DOOWRGD\WRGLVFXVV\RXUFDVH
ZZZQDPJ\DOODZFRP
*UHHQ&DUG1DWXUDOL]DWLRQ)LDQFp9LVD
6SRXVH9LVD(PSOR\PHQW%DVHG3HWLWLRQV
'$&$,QYHVWPHQW%DVHG3HWLWLRQV
6:0HDGRZV5RDG6XLWH/DNH2VZHJR25
Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and cultural-
ly competent workforce. Diversity maximizes our true potential for
creativity, innovation, quality patient care, educational excellence and
outstanding service. People with diverse backgrounds and those who
promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply.
www.ohsujobs.com
We are proud to be an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization.
