by Mantas Aliukonis
Yoichi Kawachi arrived in Lithuania at the end of July and was warmly welcomed in Klaipėda. The 27-year-old midfielder from the town of Ureshino in the south-western Saga Prefecture of Japan, is slowly recovering from a minor ankle injury and steadily finding his place in Neptūnas’ squad. His impact was already visible in the recent Pirma Lyga victory over Nevėžis, where he delivered his first assist since returning to Lithuania, sliding the ball through a defender’s legs to create the decisive goal.
Kawachi’s football story began at the age of eight, when he first started playing alongside his older brother. Later, while studying sports history and training at university, he continued his playing career in Japan. His first step into Lithuanian football came when Hegelmann invited him for a trial. “It didn’t work out, so I signed with Jonava instead – that’s how my career here began,” he recalled. He credits his agent, Shunsuke Nakamura, for making the connection. “He brought me along with another Japanese player, my good friend Yukiyoshi Karashima, who now plays for RFS in Riga. [currently on loan with HJK in Finland]”
After Jonava came two and a half seasons with TransINVEST, a spell he remembers fondly. “It was a great period – we won the domestic cup, the league… But after the last season, when the club was relegated from the A Lyga, we said goodbye. I remember that stage well, because we played in the top division and even in UEFA qualifiers.”
In Vilnius, Kawachi shared the pitch with fellow Japanese midfielder Misaki Sato, and the two remain close. “We are very good friends and often talk. He is now playing in South Korea’s second division,” he said.
After his time in Lithuania, Kawachi tried his luck in Kyrgyzstan, but the experience almost ended his career. “I joined a training camp there but didn’t get a contract, so I thought seriously about ending my career altogether. No one spoke English, the conditions were poor, and I wasn’t in good shape myself. I contacted a few other clubs, but when you haven’t played for more than half a year, it’s very difficult,” he admitted. That was when the offer came from Neptūnas.
Not at all did I expect to return to Lithuania. I really thought I would have to retire and I was disappointed. I’m thankful that something from above helped me, and I hope I won’t let down the club or the supporters here in Klaipėda.
Now settled by the Baltic Sea, Kawachi has set his ambitions clearly. He prefers to play as a number ten behind the striker, though he is equally capable of operating on the wing. Away from the pitch, his time in Vilnius was often spent playing billiards or wandering the city, but in Klaipėda his focus is firmly on results. “First of all, I want to help the team reach the A Lyga,” he said.
Neptūnas, currently second in the Pirma Lyga, have reason to share that ambition.
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