Kazumi Takada

2.1. Birth and Childhood

Kazumi Takada was born on June 28, 1951, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. Standing at 67 in ^{(169 cm)} tall and weighing 137 lb ^{(62 kg)}, he developed into a formidable forward or wing player.

2.2. Education

Takada attended Shizuoka Higashi High School from 1967 to 1969. Following high school, he enrolled at Nihon University in 1970. While still a university student, his talent was recognized when he was selected to the Japan national team. He later left Nihon University in 1971 to pursue his professional football career.

3.1. Mitsubishi Motors

In 1971, Takada joined Mitsubishi Motors (known as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Football Club at the time), a prominent club in the Japan Soccer League (JSL). He quickly secured a regular starting position. During his tenure, Mitsubishi Motors enjoyed a period of significant success, winning several major domestic titles.

In 1971, his debut year, the club won the Emperor's Cup. This was followed by a JSL title and another Emperor's Cup victory in 1973. A highlight of his career came in 1978, when Mitsubishi Motors achieved a remarkable "triple crown," winning the Japan Soccer League, the JSL Cup, and the Emperor's Cup in the same season. Takada remained with the club until his retirement in 1979, having played 128 league games and scoring 25 goals. He was recognized for his playmaking abilities, notably becoming the JSL Assist King in 1974.

4.1. Senior National Team

Takada's talent was evident early on, as he was selected for the Japan national football team in his teens. His official international A-match debut occurred on December 12, 1970, at the 1970 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand, in a match against Khmer. He continued to represent Japan throughout the early to mid-1970s, participating in important tournaments such as the 1970 Asian Games and the 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification. His international A-match career spanned until 1975, during which he earned a total of 16 caps for Japan.

His specific international A-match appearances were:

4.2. Youth National Team

Prior to his senior team career, Takada also represented Japan at the youth level. He was part of the Japan Youth (U-20) national team. In April 1971, he participated in the 13th AFC Youth Championship, which was hosted in Japan. During this tournament, he played alongside future Japanese football legends such as Yasuhiko Okudera and Yoshikazu Nagai, contributing two goals to the team's performance.

5.1. Individual Awards

Takada's consistent high performance in the Japan Soccer League earned him selection to the prestigious JSL Best Eleven twice, in both the 1972 and 1973 seasons. In addition to his overall play, he was honored as the JSL Assist King in 1974, a testament to his ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates.

5.2. Nicknames and Evaluations

Due to his distinctive playing style, Kazumi Takada was affectionately nicknamed "Sugiyama the Second" (杉山二世_{Sugiyama Nisei}^Japanese). This moniker drew comparisons to Ryuichi Sugiyama, a prominent Japanese footballer who was a bronze medalist at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, highlighting Takada's similar influential role as a forward.

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. National Team Statistics

7.1. Retirement and Later Life

Kazumi Takada retired from professional football in 1979, ending his career with Mitsubishi Motors. Following his retirement, he reportedly changed his surname and was known as Gunji Kazumi (郡司 一美_{Gunji Kazumi}^Japanese).

7.2. Death

On October 1, 2009, Kazumi Takada passed away at the age of 58. His cause of death was pancreatic cancer. He died in Suginami, Tokyo, Japan.