Tribute to Kunisige Kamamoto, a Legend of Japanese Football

• Kunisige Kamamoto passed away on September 10, 2025, due to pneumonia.
• He scored 75 goals for the national team of Japan, becoming the top scorer.
• Kamamoto was an important figure in Japanese football and politics.

On September 10, 2025, in Tokyo, Kunisige Kamamoto is considered one of the greatest forwards in the history of Japanese football, at the age of 81. The cause of death was pneumonia, as reported by the Japan Football Association.

Kamamoto was known for scoring 75 goals in 76 matches for the national team of Japan, which is a record among individuals. He played for the national team from 1964 to 1977. At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, he became the top scorer, netting seven goals, which helped the team secure a bronze medal.

Born in the prefecture of Kyoto, Kamamoto began playing football in elementary school. After graduating from Waseda University, he became the top scorer in the university league in the Kanto region for four consecutive years. In 1967, he joined the Yanmar club in the Japanese football league, where he scored 202 goals over 17 seasons, setting a record.

Kamamoto also held a position as vice-president of the Japan Football Association, and in 1995 he was elected to the House of Councillors of Japan from the Liberal Democratic Party. He became a member of the Hall of Fame of Japanese football in 2005.

In 1984, Kamamoto ended his playing career and began working as a head coach for the Gamba Osaka club. In recent years, his health deteriorated, and he underwent treatment.

Tags: Sport/Football