JFA Hall of Fame Inductee

KAMAMOTO Kunishige

Selected Inductees

Born in Kyoto on 15 April 1944

Joins Yanmar Diesel after graduating from Waseda University.
Finishing as top scorer in the Kanto University League for four years in succession during his Waseda days. Totals 202 goals in 251 career appearances in the JSL (with Yanmar). Achieves unprecedented list of honours, including award for fighting spirit in 1968, finishing as JSL top scorer seven times, leading the league in assists three times, being named in the league's annual best XI 14 times, and winning the overall player of the year award seven times.

Appears at the 4th and 5th Asian Youth Championships as a member of the Japanese national youth team.
Appears at the Games of the 18th (Tokyo, 1964) and 19th Olympiad (Mexico City, 1968) with the full national team. Finishes as overall top scorer in Mexico City with 7 goals. Also appears in 5th (third place in Bangkok in 1966), 6th (fourth place in Bangkok in 1970), and 7th (Tehran in 1974) editions of the Asian Games. Ends national team career having played in 76 "A" matches, scoring 75 goals. Appointed as manager of the Yanmar Diesel team in 1978; initially as player-manager until retiring from playing duties in 1984. During his time in charge, the team wins the JSL First Division title once, and the JSL Cup on two occasions.

Later appointed as manager of the Matsushita Electric Industrial team in 1991 ahead of their entry to the J League (as Gamba Osaka), staying at the helm until 1995.
Appointed vice-chairman of the JFA in 1998. Sits on the board of the Japan World Cup Organising Committee and is appointed as chair of the Strengthening Promotion Division for 2002, devoting his efforts into the success of the tournament and the improvement of the Japanese national team.
Elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1995. Serves as labour parliamentary vice-minister in the second Mori Cabinet in 2000.

• 
  MORI Takaji
• YAMAGUCHI Yoshitada