Mainz, where two Japanese players play, will face Leipzig at home. Midfielder Kawasaki Sota (24), who transferred on a loan from J1 Kyoto Sanga FC, made his Bundesliga debut in the 30th minute of the second half, trailing by one point. Japan national team midfielder Sano Kaishu (24) has played in the full game in three consecutive games since the start of the season. The match was lost 0-1.
According to the official Bundesliga website, Kawasaki recorded four wins in duels (off and defense against the ball) despite his limited playing time. On August 28th, he played in the second game of the playoffs against Rosenborg (Norway), which was hoping to compete in the main tournament of the European Conference League, making his first appearance since transfer, playing for the first time since his transfer, but he made his debut in the third game of the German first division league.
On July 3rd, he was selected as a member of the Japan national team for the East Asia E-1 Championships, and received an offer from Mainz. He declined as the representative and moved to Europe on the 7th. “I will do my best to repay the favor with the positive news,” he commented, but the 24-year-old midfielder, who also competed in the Paris Olympics, has taken his first step in his new career, aiming to reach even higher.
