1. Personal Life
Kazu Naoki's personal life was marked by his early education and his untimely death shortly after World War II.
1.1. Birth and Early Background
Kazu Naoki was born on March 23, 1918. He attended the old system Hyogo Prefectural First Kobe Middle School, which is now known as Hyogo Prefectural Kobe High School.
1.2. Education
After his time at Kobe Middle School, Naoki continued his education at the old system Sixth High School, which is currently part of Okayama University. He then enrolled in the Tokyo Imperial University's Faculty of Law, specializing in Political Science. During his university studies, he was a member of the Tokyo Imperial University Football Club. He graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1941.
1.3. Death
Kazu Naoki died in the 1940s due to an accident that occurred shortly after the end of World War II (also known as the Pacific War in Asia).
2. Football Career
Kazu Naoki's football career spanned his youth and a brief but notable period with the Japanese national team, curtailed by the global conflict.
2.1. Youth Career
Naoki's early football talent was evident during his time at Hyogo Prefectural First Kobe Middle School. In 1933, he played a key role in his school's victory at the National Middle School Football Championship. He continued his football activities as a student at Tokyo Imperial University, where he was a member of the university's football club.
2.2. National Team Career
Kazu Naoki's involvement with the Japanese national football team was limited but historically significant given the period.
2.2.1. Debut and International Matches
Kazu Naoki made his first appearance for the Japanese national team on August 27, 1939, in an international friendly match held in Dalian against a representative team from the Kwantung Leased Territory.
His official International A Match debut occurred on June 16, 1940, while he was still a student at Tokyo Imperial University. This match was part of the 2600th Anniversary of the Imperial Reign East Asia Games and saw Japan face the Philippines at the Koshien Minami Sports Ground in Hyogo Prefecture. Japan won the match 1-0. The coach for this match was Shigemaru Takenokoshi. This particular game was the first international A match for Japan since the 1936 Summer Olympics and was the only International A Match played by Japan in the 1940s due to the widespread impact of World War II. The match was officially recognized as an International A Match in 2007.
2.2.2. National Team Statistics
Kazu Naoki's statistics for the Japan national team are as follows:
| Japan national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 1940 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 |