1. Overview
Mio Otani (大谷 未央Ōtani MioJapanese, born May 5, 1979) is a former Japanese football player and coach. Throughout her playing career, she primarily featured as a forward for Tasaki Perule FC in the L.League and was a significant member of the Japan national team. Known for her prolific goal-scoring, Otani achieved numerous individual accolades, including L.League Most Valuable Player, top scorer titles, and multiple selections to the league's Best Eleven. She represented Japan in major international tournaments such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympic Games. After retiring from playing in 2008, she transitioned into a coaching career, contributing to various youth and professional women's football programs.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Mio Otani's early life and formative years in football laid the groundwork for her distinguished career.
2.1. Birth and Personal Details
Mio Otani was born on May 5, 1979, in Koka, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. She is known for her nickname, たーにゃTanyaJapanese. Otani stands at 63 in (160 cm) tall and weighs 108 lb (49 kg).
2.2. Youth Career and Education
Otani's youth football career began at an early age, demonstrating her talent from a young age. From 1988 to 1991, she played for the Shiga Asamiya Sports Youth Team. Following this, from 1992 to 1994, she joined Shiga Shigaraki Ladies SC. During her high school years, she played for Kyoto Nishiyama High School from 1995 to 1996, and then for Keimei Gakuin High School in 1997, marking her progression through various youth football programs before turning professional.
3. Playing Career
Mio Otani's professional playing career spanned over a decade, during which she became a prominent figure in Japanese women's football both at the club and international levels.
3.1. Club Career
Mio Otani joined Tasaki Perule FC in 1998 after graduating from high school. She quickly established herself as a formidable forward, becoming one of the most prolific goal scorers in the L.League. Over her 11-year tenure with Tasaki Perule FC from 1998 to 2008, she made 180 appearances and scored an impressive 150 goals, marking her as a top offensive talent.
Otani's individual achievements include being the L.League's Top Scorer four times, in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2005. In the 2003 season, her outstanding performance earned her the L.League Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, a season in which Tasaki Perule FC also clinched the L.League championship title. She was consistently recognized for her excellence, being selected for the L.League Best Eleven six times consecutively from 2001 to 2006.
Beyond the league title, Otani contributed to Tasaki Perule FC's success in the All Japan Women's Football Championship, winning the prestigious cup four times: in 1999, 2002, 2003, and 2006. On July 10, 2005, she made history by becoming the fastest player in the history of the Japanese women's football league to reach 100 career goals, achieving this milestone in just 114 matches.
Her club career concluded at the end of the 2008 season when Tasaki Perule FC was disbanded due to financial difficulties, leading to her retirement from professional playing.
3.2. National Team Career
Mio Otani made her debut for the Japan women's national football team on May 31, 2000, in an international friendly against Australia. Over her career with the national team, which spanned from 2000 to 2007, she earned 73 caps and scored 31 goals.
Otani was a key player for Japan in several major international tournaments:
- FIFA Women's World Cup:** She was a member of the Japan squad for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup and the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup. Notably, in the 2003 World Cup, she scored a hat-trick in Japan's decisive 6-0 victory over Argentina.
- Summer Olympics:** Otani represented Japan at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. During the first match against Sweden, she provided an assist for Eriko Arakawa's goal, contributing to Japan's 1-0 victory.
- AFC Women's Championship:** She participated in the 2001 AFC Women's Championship, 2003 AFC Women's Championship, and 2006 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
- Asian Games:** Otani also played for Japan at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
Her consistent performance and goal-scoring ability made her a significant offensive threat for the national team throughout her career.
3.3. International Goals
Mio Otani scored 31 goals for the Japan women's national football team in international matches. The following table details her international goals:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Coach | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 16 March 2001 | Taipei, Taiwan |  Chinese Taipei | 2-0 | 2-0 | Tsukasa Ikeda | Friendly |
| 2. | 4 December 2001 | Taipei, Taiwan |  Singapore | 14-0 | 14-0 | 2001 AFC Women's Championship | |
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| 4. | 8 December 2001 |  Guam | 11-0 | 11-0 | |||
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| 7. | 12 December 2001 |  Vietnam | 3-1 | 3-1 | |||
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| 9. | 14 December 2001 |  South Korea | 2-1 | 2-1 | |||
| 10. | 4 October 2002 | Changwon Sports Park, Changwon, South Korea | Vietnam | 3-0 | 3-0 | Eiji Ueda | 2002 Asian Games |
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| 12. | 9 June 2003 | Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand |  Philippines | 15-0 | 15-0 | 2003 AFC Women's Championship | |
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| 19. | 13 June 2003 | Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand |  Myanmar | 7-0 | 7-0 | ||
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| 21. | 22 July 2003 | Sendai Stadium, Sendai, Japan | South Korea | 5-0 | 5-0 | Japan-Korea-Australia Tri-Nations International Women's Football Tournament | |
| 22. | 21 September 2003 | Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus, United States |  Argentina | 6-0 | 6-0 | 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup | |
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| 25. | 18 April 2004 | Komazawa Olympic Park Stadium, Tokyo, Japan | Vietnam | 7-0 | 7-0 | 2004 Summer Olympics qualification | |
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| 27. | 22 April 2004 | National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan |  Thailand | 6-0 | 6-0 | ||
| 28. | 24 April 2004 | National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan |  North Korea | 3-0 | 3-0 | ||
| 29. | 30 July 2004 | National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan |  Canada | 3-0 | 3-0 | Friendly | |
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| 31. | 6 August 2004 | Zeist, Netherlands |  Netherlands | 2-0 | 2-0 | Friendly |
4. Coaching Career
Following her retirement as a player in 2008, Mio Otani embarked on a coaching career, contributing to the development of women's football at various levels. She holds a JFA A-class coach general license.
Her coaching roles have included:
- 2009-2011:** Coach for the Kyoto Seika Joshi Junior High School soccer team. During this period, she also conducted summer soccer schools for external participants at the school.
- 2009-2011:** Served as a JFA National Training Center coach, focusing on U-15 women's teams (2009: Tokai region, 2010-2011: National U-15).
- 2012-Present:** Joined Cerezo Osaka as a soccer school coach and elite class coach. Simultaneously, she has continued her role as a JFA National Training Center coach, specializing in women's football in the Kansai region, and also coaches the U-13 Japan Women's Selection Team.
- 2013-Present:** Appointed as a coach for the Osaka Gakugei High School women's soccer team.
- 2018-2022:** Served as an assistant coach for MIO Biwako Shiga Ladies U-15 (now Reilac Shiga FC Ladies).
- 2023-Present:** Became the manager of Reilac Shiga FC Ladies.
5. Awards and Honors
Mio Otani received numerous individual and team accolades throughout her illustrious playing career.
Club
- Tasaki Perule FC
- L.League: 2003
- All Japan Women's Football Championship: 1999, 2002, 2003, 2006
Individual
- L.League Most Valuable Player: 2003
- L.League Top Scorer: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005
- L.League Best Eleven: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
6. Career Statistics
6.1. Club Statistics
| Year | Club | League appearances | League goals | Other competitions appearances | Other competitions goals | Total appearances | Total goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tasaki Perule FC | L.League | 18 | 5 | - | 18 | 5 | |
| 1999 | 14 | 7 | - | 14 | 7 | |||
| 2000 | L.League | 14 | 7 | - | 14 | 7 | ||
| 2001 | 14 | 15 | - | 14 | 15 | |||
| 2002 | 10 | 11 | - | 10 | 11 | |||
| 2003 | 22 | 33 | - | 22 | 33 | |||
| 2004 | Tasaki Perule FC | L.League Division 1 | 11 | 8 | - | 11 | 8 | |
| 2005 | 21 | 25 | - | 21 | 25 | |||
| 2006 | Nadeshiko Div.1 | 17 | 15 | - | 17 | 15 | ||
| 2007 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 10 | ||
| 2008 | 21 | 13 | - | 21 | 13 | |||
| Career total (L.League) | 180 | 150 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 150 | ||
6.2. National Team Statistics
| Japan national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | 11 | 9 |
| 2002 | 10 | 2 |
| 2003 | 14 | 13 |
| 2004 | 10 | 7 |
| 2005 | 7 | 0 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 |
| 2007 | 7 | 0 |
| Total | 73 | 31 |