1. Overview
Koji Arimura is a former Japanese professional football player who primarily played as a defender, notably as a left-back. Born on August 25, 1976, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Arimura began his professional career in 1999 with Sagan Tosu after graduating from the University of Teacher Education Fukuoka. He went on to play for several clubs in Japan's J.League and Japan Football League, including Oita Trinita, Nagoya Grampus, Vissel Kobe, and Roasso Kumamoto, before retiring in 2008. Known for his tactical versatility and offensive contributions despite being right-footed, Arimura transitioned into a coaching career after his playing days, working with youth teams and high school football clubs.
2. Early Life and Education
Koji Arimura's formative years and academic pursuits laid the groundwork for his professional football career.
2.1. Birth and Childhood
Arimura was born on August 25, 1976, in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. During his childhood, he attended Shime Chuo Elementary School.
2.2. Education
For his secondary education, Arimura attended Higashi Fukuoka High School from 1992 to 1994, where he also participated in the school's football program. Following high school, he continued his studies at the University of Teacher Education Fukuoka from 1995 to 1998, further developing his football skills while pursuing his academic path.
2.3. Personal Characteristics
Arimura stands at 70 in (178 cm) and weighs 161 lb (73 kg). Although he is right-footed, he predominantly played as a left-sided outfielder during his professional career. His nickname is アリソンArisonJapanese.
3. Playing Career
Koji Arimura's professional football career spanned from 1999 to 2008, during which he played for five different clubs across Japan's professional leagues.
3.1. Sagan Tosu
Arimura began his professional career in 1999, joining Sagan Tosu, a club that had just been promoted to the J2 League. In his debut season, he made limited appearances. However, he saw increased playing time in 2000 and became a regular player in 2001, primarily operating as a right-sided midfielder. During his three seasons with Sagan Tosu, he accumulated 65 league appearances and scored 4 goals.
3.2. Oita Trinita
In 2002, Arimura moved to Oita Trinita, another club in the J2 League. He quickly established himself as a regular, playing as a left-back. In his first season with Oita Trinita, the club won the J2 League championship, earning promotion to the J1 League for the 2003 season. Arimura continued to be a regular starter in the J1 League until 2004. However, his opportunities to play decreased in 2005. Over his four years at Oita Trinita, he made 111 league appearances, scoring 4 goals.
3.3. Nagoya Grampus and Vissel Kobe
In 2006, Arimura joined Nagoya Grampus, a J1 League club, on a loan transfer from Oita Trinita. He initially played as a regular left-back in the early part of the 2006 season. However, his playing time significantly diminished, and he did not feature in any matches from May onwards. In September of the same year, he moved to Vissel Kobe in the J2 League, also on a loan transfer. Despite the move, he found very few opportunities to play during his brief stint with Vissel Kobe. He made 8 league appearances for Nagoya Grampus and 4 league appearances for Vissel Kobe, without scoring any goals for either club during these periods.
3.4. Roasso Kumamoto
In 2007, Arimura made a permanent move to Rosso Kumamoto (later renamed Roasso Kumamoto), a club competing in the Japan Football League (JFL). He became a regular player for the team, contributing to their promotion to the J2 League for the 2008 season. However, his playing opportunities decreased in 2008, and he ultimately retired from professional football at the end of the 2008 season. He made 40 league appearances for Roasso Kumamoto.
4. Play Style and Coaching Career
Koji Arimura was recognized for his adaptability on the field and later transitioned his expertise into football coaching.
4.1. Play Style and Evaluation
Despite being naturally right-footed, Arimura primarily operated as a left-sided outfielder during his playing career, often excelling as a left-back. He was known for his fluctuating form; however, when in peak condition, he demonstrated a strong attacking presence. This included making effective overlapping runs into the attacking third and occasionally executing sharp dribbles into the penalty area. Arimura was also skilled at delivering accurate early crosses from deeper positions. Notably, during his time at Nagoya Grampus Eight, he played a few matches as a libero, showcasing his tactical versatility.
4.2. Coaching Career
Following his retirement as a professional player, Arimura embarked on a career in football coaching and education. In 2009, he joined Roasso Kumamoto as an Academy Coach. In his inaugural year as a coach, he demonstrated significant leadership by guiding the Roasso Kumamoto Junior Youth (U-15) team to participate in two national tournaments: the National Club Youth Football Championship and the Prince Takamado Trophy All Japan Youth (U-15) Football Tournament. He also served as a team staff member for Roasso Kumamoto in 2009. Arimura departed the club on January 31, 2010. In April 2010, he took on a new role as a teacher at Oita Tomei High School and simultaneously became the coach of the school's football club.
5. Career Statistics
The following table details Koji Arimura's professional club career statistics, including appearances and goals in various competitions.
| Club performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | League | Emperor's Cup | J.League Cup | Total | ||||||
| 1999 | Sagan Tosu | J2 League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 | ||
| 2001 | 41 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 3 | ||
| 2002 | Oita Trinita | J2 League | 43 | 3 | 4 | 2 | - | 47 | 5 | |
| 2003 | J1 League | 27 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
| 2006 | Nagoya Grampus | J1 League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 2006 | Vissel Kobe | J2 League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 4 | 0 | |
| 2007 | Rosso Kumamoto | Football League | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 28 | 0 | |
| 2008 | Roasso Kumamoto | J2 League | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 12 | 0 | |
| Total | 228 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 258 | 10 | ||