SOCCER/ Japan pioneering star Kunishige Kamamoto dies
A native of Kyoto, Kamamoto attended Yamashiro High School and Waseda University before making his debut for the Japan national team at the age of 19 in 1964.
That year, he competed in the Tokyo Olympics.
Kamamoto's physical strength and powerful shots made him a formidable forward.
At the 1968 Olympics, he led all players with seven goals and helped Japan secure its first--and still only--Olympic medal in men's football.
His legacy with the national team remains unmatched. By the time he retired from international play in 1977, Kamamoto had scored 75 goals in official international matches, a national record for men that still stands.
Domestically, he played for Yanmar Diesel, a precursor to today's Cerezo Osaka, scoring 202 goals in the Japan Soccer League before retiring in 1984. He was the league's top scorer seven times.
After hanging up his cleats, Kamamoto continued to shape Japanese football.
He served as the first manager of J.League club Gamba Osaka in the early 1990s and played a key role in Japan's successful bid to co-host the 2002 FIFA World Cup with South Korea.
He also served as a vice president of the Japan Football Association. In recognition of his contributions to the country's football community, he was inducted into the JFA Hall of Fame in 2005.
Kamamoto also entered politics, being elected to the Upper House in 1995 and serving one term until 2001.
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