Saburo Kawabuchi, the first chairman of the Japan Professional Football League (J.League), will appear on the 90-minute special of the news and information program "Udo Times" (TV Asahi, Sunday 8:56 p.m.) broadcast on March 23. In the interview segment "Legends & Stars" by the program's MC, newscaster Yumiko Udo, Kawabuchi, now 88 years old, will talk about "a life of challenges and reform."
Kawabuchi is a living witness to the history of Japanese soccer. When asked about the "Doha Tragedy" in 1993, when Japan narrowly missed out on a ticket to the World Cup, he said, "I think that the soccer Japan has today is the result of the Doha Tragedy. I can say this now, but it was a good thing that we lost."
Kawabuchi, who was instrumental in the creation of the J.League, set out a policy of having sports clubs rooted in the local community, with the club name including the local area and not putting the corporate name in the foreground. The late Watanabe Tsuneo, who was president of the Yomiuri Shimbun, the parent company of Verdy Kawasaki (now Tokyo Verdy), opposed this idea. He says he had fierce arguments with Watanabe, but after some time, he revealed that he received an "unexpected message."
He also mentioned the current Japanese national soccer team, naming Kaoru Mitoma as someone he is particularly interested in, praising him, saying, "His speed and dribbling... he's really fun and entertaining to watch, and he has a lot of potential!"
Kawabuchi also worked to reform the basketball world. He demonstrated strong leadership and achieved league unification. Watching a video of himself at the time, red with anger, he shares a surprising secret: "My blood pressure was about 220 at that time."
"I wouldn't be who I am today without my wife," he said, expressing his gratitude to his wife for supporting him for over 60 years, and Uedo was moved to tears by the love between the couple.
