Kunishige Kamamoto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kunishige Kamamoto
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釜本 邦茂
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Kamamoto in 2014
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| Member of the House of Councillors | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 23 July 1995 – 22 July 2001 |
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| Constituency | National PR | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 15 April 1944 Ukyō, Kyoto, Japan |
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| Died | 10 August 2025 (aged 81) Osaka, Japan |
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| Political party | Liberal Democratic | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alma mater | Waseda University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Association football career
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Kunishige Kamamoto (釜本 邦茂, Kamamoto Kunishige, 15 April 1944 – 10 August 2025) was a famous Japanese football player, manager, and politician. He is best known for winning a bronze medal with the Japan national team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. During that tournament, he was the top scorer with seven goals. He holds the record as Japan's all-time leading goalscorer.
Kamamoto also served as the Vice-President of the Japan Football Association for ten years, from 1998 to 2008. In 2005, he was honored by being included in the Japan Football Hall of Fame. Beyond sports, he was a member of the House of Councillors, which is part of Japan's government, from 1995 to 2001.
Contents
Early Life and Football Journey
Kunishige Kamamoto was born in Kyoto, Japan, on April 15, 1944. He grew up in Kyoto and attended Yamashiro High School. His talent for football was clear from a young age.
After high school, he went to Waseda University to study Commerce. While there, he became the top scorer in the Kanto university league for four years in a row. His university team even won the Emperor's Cup twice, in 1963 and 1966. This was a big deal because it was the last time a university team ever won this important cup. He finished his university studies in 1966.
Becoming a Club Star
After university, Kamamoto joined the Japan Soccer League club Yanmar Diesel in 1967. This club is now known as Cerezo Osaka. He played in every league game from his very first season.
In 1968, he became the top scorer in the Japan Soccer League. That same year, Yanmar Diesel won their first title, the 1968 Emperor's Cup, thanks to Kamamoto's winning goal in the final match. The club also won the 1970 Emperor's Cup. In 1971, his team became league champions for the first time, and Kamamoto was the top scorer again.
Yanmar Diesel won the league two years in a row in 1974 and 1975, also winning the 1974 Emperor's Cup. In 1978, Kamamoto took on a new role as a player-manager, meaning he played and managed the team at the same time. His team won the league championship in 1980.
Kamamoto faced some injuries later in his career. He retired from playing football in 1984 at the age of 40. Throughout his club career, he was the league's top scorer seven times and was chosen for the "Best Eleven" team fourteen times. He was also named Japanese Footballer of the Year seven times.
Japan's Top Scorer: International Games
Kunishige Kamamoto made his debut for the Japan national team on March 3, 1964, while he was still a university student. He scored a goal in that first game against Singapore. Later that year, he was chosen to play for Japan at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He played in all the matches and scored one goal.
His biggest international achievement came at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. Japan won the bronze medal, and Kamamoto was the top scorer of the entire tournament with seven goals. This team was recognized for its achievement and was inducted into the Japan Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Kamamoto also played in the 1966 Asian Games. Even after many Olympic players left the national team in the 1970s, he continued to be a key player. He represented Japan in the 1970 and 1974 Asian Games. He retired from the national team in 1977, having played in 76 matches and scoring 75 goals.
From the Field to the Sidelines: Coaching
In 1978, Kamamoto became a player-manager for Yanmar Diesel. He led the club to its first league championship in 1980. His team also won the JSL Cup in 1983 and 1984. When he retired from playing football in 1984, he also stepped down as manager of Yanmar Diesel.
Later, in 1991, he became the manager for a rival team, Matsushita Electric, which later became Gamba Osaka. He managed this team until 1994. He also managed Fujieda MYFC from 2009 to 2010.
A New Role: Serving in Politics
Beyond his amazing football career, Kunishige Kamamoto also entered the world of politics. In July 1995, he was elected as a member of the House of Councillors. This is one of the two houses of Japan's national parliament, where laws are made. He served in this important role until July 2001.
Remembering a Legend: His Achievements
Kunishige Kamamoto was a true legend in Japanese football. He passed away in a hospital in Osaka on August 10, 2025, at the age of 81, due to pneumonia. His contributions to sports and public service left a lasting impact.
His many awards and honors include:
- Summer Olympics football top scorer: 1968
- Japanese Footballer of the Year: 1966, 1968, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1980, 1981
- Japan Soccer League Top Scorer: 1968, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978
- Japan Soccer League Best Eleven: 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981
- Japan Soccer League Assists leader: 1973, 1975
- Japan Soccer League Star Ball Award: 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972
- Japan Soccer League Fighting Spirit Award: 1968
- Japan Soccer League 100 goals Award: 1974
- Japan Soccer League 200 goals Award: 1981
- Asian All Stars: 1967, 1968
- MasterCard Asian/Oceanian Team of the 20th Century: 1998
- Japan Football Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2005
See also
In Spanish: Kunishige Kamamoto para niños
